From banned, to 'official', to a 'taonga' and beyond
On August 1, 1987, te reo Māori became “an official language of New Zealand”. But what does it mean to be “an official language”? Glenn McConnell explains.
Status as an “official language” has given weight to efforts focused on revitalising te reo Māori, language advocates such as Te Taura Whiri chief executive Ngahiwi Apanui say, but there are now calls for more tangible measures to better protect and grow te reo.
As Aotearoa marks 50 years since Te Petihana Reo Māori was presented to Parliament, reo advocates are taking stock of progress made to revitalise the nation’s first “official language”.
Link to video and article: Te Reo Māori: From banned, to 'official', to a 'taonga' and beyond | Stuff.co.nz
