Te reo Māori
Te reo Māori is the Indigenous language of Māori and one of the official languages of New Zealand. It developed in Aotearoa over centuries, experienced a sharp decline in everyday use under colonisation and English-dominant schooling, and has been the focus of sustained Māori-led revitalisation. A 1972 petition to Parliament helped catalyse later education and policy initiatives, while legislation now recognises the language as a taonga and an official language.
Language and place
Te reo Māori is the Māori language of Aotearoa New Zealand. It is a Polynesian language with regional varieties that developed over generations in different communities. Māori knowledge and communication were transmitted through oral traditions and cultural practices before systematic writing was adopted; written Māori developed in the nineteenth century. Te reo is not simply a translation layer for English: it is a living language embedded in Māori identity, knowledge and community life.
Decline and suppression
Te reo was widely spoken in Aotearoa in the early nineteenth century. As English-speaking settlement expanded, English became dominant in government, work and education. The Native Schools Act 1867 established English as the language of instruction in native schools, and Māori children were often discouraged or punished for speaking te reo at school. Urbanisation and other social changes further reduced opportunities for intergenerational transmission. These historical pressures contributed to a marked decline in the number of Māori children learning the language as a first language.
Petition and revitalisation
On 14 September 1972, Māori activists and student organisations presented a petition signed by more than 30,000 people to the New Zealand Parliament. It called for Māori language and culture courses in schools. The petition helped draw public and political attention to the language and was followed by measures including Māori-language teaching and teacher training. Māori-led initiatives expanded from the 1980s: kōhanga reo provide Māori-language immersion for young children, and kura kaupapa Māori offer schooling through te reo. Radio, television, community programmes and digital resources have also supported learning and use.
Legal recognition and continuing work
The Māori Language Act 1987 made Māori an official language of New Zealand. It was repealed and replaced by Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016, which continues official-language status and recognises te reo Māori as a taonga. The 2016 law provides for language strategies and institutions, including Te Mātāwai, with roles in supporting revitalisation. Legal recognition does not by itself ensure everyday transmission: research modelling language proficiency and learning rates has emphasised the importance of sustained learning and community transmission. Revitalisation remains an ongoing effort led by Māori communities and supported by institutions and learners.
Key facts
- Language
- Te reo Māori is the Indigenous language of Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand.
- Official status
- It is an official language under Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016.
- Petition
- A petition with over 30,000 signatories was presented to Parliament on 14 September 1972, calling for Māori language and culture courses in schools.
- Education initiatives
- Kōhanga reo and kura kaupapa Māori are Māori-language education initiatives established as part of revitalisation efforts.
- Historical context
- English-dominant schooling and wider social changes contributed to the decline in intergenerational use of te reo.
Timeline
1867
The Native Schools Act established English as the language of instruction in native schools.
14 September 1972
The Māori Language Petition, supported by over 30,000 signatories, was presented to Parliament.
1982
The first kōhanga reo was established, beginning a Māori-led early-childhood immersion movement.
1987
The Māori Language Act made Māori an official language of New Zealand.
2016
Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori replaced the 1987 Act and continued Māori’s official-language status.
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Answers use only “Te reo Māori” and its references, with citations.
References
- 1.History of the Māori language
Manatū Taonga — Ministry for Culture and Heritage, NZ History · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 6 November 2026
Supports: Historical development, decline, suppression in schools, language statistics, petition-era initiatives and kōhanga reo.
- 2.The Māori Language Petition
New Zealand Parliamentary Library Te Pātaka Rangahau · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 6 November 2026
Supports: Petition submitted on 14 September 1972, its more than 30,000 signatories, historical context, educational effects, and subsequent legislation and revitalisation initiatives.
- 3.Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016
New Zealand Legislation, Parliamentary Counsel Office · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 6 November 2026
Supports: Current statutory recognition of Māori as an official language and as a taonga, and the legislation's language strategies and institutions.
- 4.Kia kaua te reo e rite ki te moa, ka ngaro: do not let the language suffer the same fate as the moa
Journal of the Royal Society Interface; National Center for Biotechnology Information, PubMed Central · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 6 November 2026
Supports: Peer-reviewed study modelling proficiency and transmission in te reo Māori and discussing how learning rates and revitalisation strategies affect projected trajectories.
- 5.A ‘forever language’ – te Wiki o te Reo Māori marks 52 years of extraordinary progress
The Conversation · other · reliability: unverified · retrieved 6 November 2026
Supports: Context and milestones in the Māori Language Petition and subsequent language revitalisation movement.
References are suggested by the research engine and may be incomplete. Unverified URLs are omitted rather than guessed.
Article history
- Version 16 November 2026 · EditorCreated by Zapia