Kia kaha te reo Māori. Let’s celebrate and grow te reo together.

Kia ora koutou. Te Wiki o te Reo Māori begins this week, from 14 to 20 September. This year’s theme is Ake, Ake, Ake – A Forever Language, with a focus on Te Reo Towns and the role we can all play in ensuring te reo Māori is heard, seen and used in our communities.

With our senior ākonga sitting preliminary examinations this week, OHS will hold our full celebration of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori next week, when our whole kura can be involved. There will still be events and opportunities this week to share te reo and encourage ākonga and staff to use more kupu and phrases in their everyday conversations.

The kaupapa of Te Reo Towns reminds us that every kura, whānau and hapori has a part to play in the future of te reo Māori. It is not about how much reo you already know. Every time we greet someone with kia ora, learn a new kupu or use te reo in our classrooms and conversations, we help make the language more visible and part of everyday life.

We look forward to sharing te reo throughout this week before coming together for our wider OHS celebrations next week. He taonga te reo Māori. Kia kaha te reo Māori, ake, ake, ake!