Experience being an Author at this Website!
My answer to the above question is “Yes”.
I am glad to note that the Principal of Auckland Grammar School in Auckland, Mr. Tim O’Connor agrees with this too and has made Te Reo Maori a compulsory subject for all Year Nine (Form 3) students.
Tim had said: “We undertook a review of the curriculum in 2015 and one of the strong threads that (is) coming through at that point in time was that we should be introducing Mandarin… for various reasons, including the impact on trade.
“At that point in time, the question we asked ourselves was why would we not introduce Te Reo into the school before we introduced another language, such as Mandarin?”
57% of the total votes cast from a survey by TV3 Newshub team also agree that Te Reo Maori should be compulsorily taught in schools.
Former Green Party leader Russel Norman has argued that learning the language is an important part of being a New Zealander.
“This is part of our identity. This is part of who we are and that’s why the school has made it compulsory for year nines.”
The following are the three main reasons why I feel that Te Reo Maori should be compulsorily taught in Schools:
(1) If Te Reo Maori is taught to all New Zealand schools, Maori Language and Culture will become a unique binder for Kiwis from all ethnic background, be they Chinese, Indians, Europeans, South Africans or Islanders. I can remember the sporting days in Singapore when Singaporeans cheered and communicated effectively with each other in ‘Singlish’ - a unique brand of a mixture of various languages in one sentence or paragraph, using the English Language as the base.
(2) Learning Te Reo Maori will definitely help us to understand why the environment is so important to us. The Maori culture is known to treat the environment with respect and this will become more important in a resource-depleting world.
(3) I believe that learning the Maori Language and Culture will help us appreciate the value of the bond of love among family members and extended family members.
I would love to have your opinion on this topic here.
Thanks and tena koe.
Francis Lai
Rapare, Tamaki Manukau
Lesson 1: The Haka
Days of the Week – Ngā Rā o te WikiThere are two versions of the days of the week that you will find used in Māori –
| Days of the Week | Ngā Rā o te Wiki | Kupu Arotau (Loan word) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rāhina | Mane |
| Tuesday | Rātū | Turei |
| Wednesday | Rāapa | Wenerei |
| Thursday | Rāpare | Taite |
| Friday | Rāmere | Paraire |
| Saturday | Rāhoroi | Hatarei |
| Sunday | Rātapu | Rātapu |
Months of the Year – Ngā Marama o te TauAs with the Days of the Week – Ngā Rā o te Wiki, the Months of the Year – Ngā Marama o te Tau have two versions that people use:
| Months of the Year | Ngā Marama o te Tau | Kupu Arotau (loan words) |
|---|---|---|
| January | Kohitātea | Hanuere |
| February | Hui-tanguru | Pēpuere |
| March | Poutū-te-rangi | Maehe |
| April | Paenga-whāwhā | Āperira |
| May | Haratua | Mei |
| June | Pipiri | Hune |
| July | Hōngongoi | Hūrae |
| August | Here-turi-kōkā | Ākuhata |
| September | Mahuru | Hepetema |
| October | Whiringa-ā-nuku | Ōketopa |
| November | Whiringa-ā-rangi | Noema |
| December | Hakihea | Tīhema |
Either version is acceptable to use. Traditional text and native speakers tended to use the Kupu Arotau or loan words more. Modern Māori learning environments tend to favor Ngā Marama o te Tau.