27 Jun Reflections of the Toi Tangata Hui ā Tau 2023

E tika ana kia mihia ō mātou kaikōrero mō te whakapuaki i ō rātou kōrero hirahira. I tohaina e rātou ō rātou wheako ako i te reo Māori me te hononga o te hauora o te tangata ki te reo Māori. I kōrero rātou mō te hiranga o te reo Māori, te hāngai ki tō tātou tuakiritanga, me tōna pānga ki te hauora, tae noa atu ki te hononga ā-whānau. 

The recent Toi Tangata Hui ā Tau 2023 brought together passionate advocates of te reo Māori to reflect on their journeys, celebrate achievements, and chart a path forward for te tira hou. We wish to express our deepest gratitude to our kaikōrero who shared their time, experience and expertise with us as we celebrated the progress made thus far, honouring the tireless efforts of kaiārahi, whānau and hāpori who have contributed to the revitalisation of te reo Māori.

We also wish to acknowledge the close to 200 participants who registered and joined us over the two day hui ā tau, ngā mihi nui ki a koutou!

“Tēnei te tira hou, tēnei te haere mai nei” – powerful words extracted from the mōteatea ‘Pinepine te kura’ composed by Te Kooti Arikirangi, translate to “here are the new travelers, proceeding,” symbolising the legacies handed down to us as we venture into the future. This theme of “tēnei te tira hou” was explored and celebrated at the hui ā tau, where we delved into taonga tuku iho and embraced the growth in both te reo Māori and Māori Public Health.

As we commemorate the 50th year since the signing of the Māori Language Petition and the 40th year of the Kōhanga Reo movement, we reflected upon one of the most precious taonga tuku iho we have – te reo Māori. Our hui ā tau contemplated both the paths we have already traversed and our current position in this moment. Equally important, we looked towards “te tira hou,” the new generation, borne from the intergenerational vision of restoring the mauri of our people. How will te reo Māori continue to guide us in our pursuit of holistic well-being? What distant horizons lie ahead for this generation?

The Toi Tangata Hui ā Tau 2023 drew upon the wealth of knowledge embedded within our cultural systems and narratives, paving the way to our liberation. It honoured the ancestral lineage of te reo Māori, recognising its significance in shaping our identity and aspirations. Throughout the two-day online event, our esteemed kaikōrero skillfully wove this theme into their kōrero, inspiring us and igniting our aspirations for ourselves and our collective future.

It was a celebration of resilience, determination, and interconnectedness. The hui provided a platform for sharing experiences, exchanging wisdom, and collectively envisioning what it means to be well. The voices of our kaikōrero resonated with authenticity, reminding us of the strength embedded in our language and cultural heritage.

Together, we embraced the importance of reclaiming our language, nurturing it within ourselves, our whānau, and our wider communities. The hui ā tau served as a reminder that the journey of revitalising te reo Māori is an ongoing one, requiring both individual commitment and collective action.

The Toi Tangata Hui ā Tau 2023 was a testament to the transformative power of te reo Māori. It united us, encouraged us to embrace our roles as guardians of the language, and reaffirmed our commitment to nurturing its vibrancy. 

If you want to watch our kaikōreo share their kōrero, you can view them here.