I want to learn my reo. As a teacher of reo Māori to adults, I have heard this lament uttered many times over the years. Tears are usually shed and the longing for a language that has been kept out of reach for generations is laid bare in the many information evenings for classes I have facilitated. Inspiration for whānau I have taught over the years has come from many sources. Hundreds of stories of inspiration, each similar and different in their own ways. Countless stories are shared with me personally or openly during the practice of whakawhānaungatanga in a beginner’s class. Many individuals have experienced shame. Some stories recount the embarrassment that is felt at formal gatherings such as the tangihanga of a loved one. The inability to speak Māori has hindered their ability to participate in activities, to contribute or understand proceedings in meaningful ways, forcing their hands to pursue language acquisition in their older years. Some have tried time and time again to learn, each time like a new years resolution to ‘learn my reo’ again. But they are impeded at every turn, seemingly hindered by what those trained in language revitalisation would call external pressures, but in the hearts and minds of the learner, are believed to be internal limitations and weaknesses. Defeated, they sit in a new class one more time, some full of hope, some tired with desperation. Some find their inspiration in other like-minded individuals, or in a community who value speaking reo Māori. They seek spaces where they can acquire the reo and improve proficiency and so are drawn to the various whare wānanga courses, community night classes, kapa haka teams, weaving groups, or sports teams. They just want to ‘kōrero!’ . Inspiration for parents and grandparents alike come in the form of tamariki and mokopuna. The current generation have been afforded the opportunity to flourish in a modern society that now celebrates the language. More and more are either fluent, competent and/or confident in reo Māori. In order to support and ‘keep up’ with the next generation, many parents and / or grandparents are driven to learn and become competent.
Comments