Among those celebrating the 50th Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori are the thousands of non-Māori who speak te reo Māori, English and another language.
In the last Census, 6399 New Zealanders fell into this category — up from 5328 in 2018 and 4893 in 2013.
This number did not include those who speak New Zealand Sign Language.
Some of those speaking te reo Māori now, were first introduced to the reo as tourists.
Census data found more than 6000 non-Māori speak Te Reo Māori, English, and at least one other language. (Source: 1News)
Queenstown kaiako Emily Chirnside has had ākonga (students) in her classes from China to Chile.
“I have a lot of aroha for people who have English as their second language and they’re learning a third,” she told 1News.
Queenstown resident Gea Hallen is one of them — making it her “mission” to learn upon arrival in Aotearoa in 2022.
Her classmate Ned Webster (Ngāpuhi) said having people who had moved to Aotearoa from overseas in the class, “gives us a bit of a kick in the bum to learn it ourselves — we can’t let them have all the joy” he joked.
Their akomanga or class have reached Level 5 now, meaning they only speak te reo Māori in their lessons for their diploma.
Sonia Lucchese has studied to a similar level in Otautahi, moving there from France.
“I have a few friends who are fluent speakers, teachers of te reo Māori. We need more people who speak te reo Māori so we can practise it more. It is the fourth language I’m learning.”
Tourism is introducing foreigners to the kupu, or words, at attractions like Dark Sky in Tekapō.
Te Rūnanga o Moeraki Upoko David Higgins said the reo was essential for many things, particularly the names of the stars.
“I think most Kiwis understand a little bit of te reo, but to our visitors from overseas it’s a new phenomenon.”