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Maori Language Week


Hesi

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While I am all in favour of this, and people being encouraged to learn at least some words, it is after all an official language of NZ.

I do find concerning the usurping of the English language, also an official language, is it by stealth?

I note now, that most people in the media use the term whanau, family seems to have been phased out

NZTA, appears to slowly being superseded by Waka Kotahi.  I dug out these below, from an Official Information Act request(not mine)

I also had a prolonged exchange of emails with them over a rego issue, and greetings and farewells in the mail were always only in Maori

1. When did NZTA change its name to Waka Kotahi?

Waka Kotahi is the Te Reo Māori name for NZ Transport Agency. Through the new Māori Language Act and the development of the Maihi Karauna (the Crown’s Strategy for Māori Language Revitalisation 2019-2023), the government is committed to enhancing support for Te Reo Māori revitalisation by all government agencies as a normal part of the way we do business. Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency has also signalled its commitment to this. One way to achieve this is to ensure Te Reo Māori is more visible to the communities we work in. As such, Waka Kotahi is giving more prominence to its Te Reo Māori name, by using it first. In August 2019, its logo was rearranged to give more prominence to Waka Kotahi. Waka Kotahi also updated its guidance to staff in March 2020 to use its full name “Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency” initially and thereafter “Waka Kotahi” or “the Transport Agency”.

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2. Was this a decision that was made by the Board?

No, this decision was made by the Interim Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive Leadership Team at Waka Kotahi.

3. Copies of any correspondence between the Ministry of Transport and Waka Kotahi / NZTA regarding changing the name? Waka Kotahi could not find any correspondence between Ministry of Transport and Waka Kotahi regarding changing the name. Therefore, this part of your request is refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the document alleged to contain the information requested does not exist or cannot be found.

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Max supports use and understanding of te reo, but not to the extent that it replaces English, not to the extent that it is being forced down our throats, and not without public support via nationwide referendum when involving formal names of places, Govt agencies, logos etc... even the Government's own crest/logo has been changed to make the Maori translation bigger, bolder ...

 

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Random thoughts ...

According to Maori dictionary, Aotearoa (land of the long white cloud) was apparently the name given by some Maori to the North Island (only), so how can it be an authentic action to use the word for this nation in the 21st century and beyond? Answer: It is not authentic. Common parlance, yes, we've got used to it. But if it is to become official, it needs an overwhelming majority of New Zealand citizens to approve it.

Aotearoa

1. (location) North Island - now used as the Māori name for New Zealand.

 

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6 August 2020

Dear

Official Information Request Our Ref: SSCOIA 2020-0059 STATE SfRVICES COMM ISSION -------- 1 ~ 1-. m ,\ .\L\I \ \HU

I refer to the parts of your official information request which were transferred from the Prime Minister's office to the State Services Commission (SSC) where you have asked:

• When and under what authority and for what reason were the Government Departmental names changed to Maori, followed by English?

Information being released The SSC is the government's adviser on creating, disestablishing and reorganising government departments and administers the relevant legislation, including any changes to the schedules listing public service agencies. The legal names of public service agencies (departments and departmental agencies) are listed in Schedule 2 of the Public Service Act and there are currently two departments that have a Maori name followed by an English name. They are Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children and Te Kahui Whakamana Rua Tekau ma lwa-Pike River Recovery Agency. Both of these Maori names were approved by Cabinet when the departments were created, in 2016 and 2017 respectively. Like other organisations, departments are able to use trading names other than their legal name, whether for particular business units or all of the organisation. After Parliament agreed in the Maori Language Act 1987 to recognise Maori as an official language of New Zealand, most departments and other agencies acquired a Maori name to use alongside their English name. Whether to have a Maori name and how to use it has been a matter for individual agencies.

How many Departments had a name change?

We have interpreted your question to be in relation to the changes in the legal name that result in the Maori name being placed ahead of the English name.

The only department that had a name change which has resulted in the Maori name being placed ahead of the English name is the change from 'Ministry for Vulnerable Children - Oranga Tamariki' to 'Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children'. This change was made by Cabinet through Order in Council and took effect in early 2018.

 

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From Schedule 2 of Public Service Act 2020

Schedule 2 Public service agencies

ss 23, 26, 33

Part 1Departments

Crown Law Office

Department of Conservation

Department of Corrections

Department of Internal Affairs

Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Education Review Office

Government Communications Security Bureau

Inland Revenue Department

Land Information New Zealand

Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Ministry for Pacific Peoples

Ministry for Primary Industries

Ministry for the Environment

Ministry for Women

Ministry of Business, Innovation, and Employment

Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Education

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Housing and Urban Development

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Māori Development—Te Puni Kōkiri

Ministry of Social Development

Ministry of Transport

New Zealand Customs Service

New Zealand Security Intelligence Service

Oranga Tamariki—Ministry for Children

Public Service Commission

Serious Fraud Office

Statistics New Zealand

Te Kāhui Whakamana Rua Tekau mā Iwa—Pike River Recovery Agency

The Treasury

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So, Ministry for Children, and Pike River, have been approved by Cabinet, fair enough

But what about these other departments, such as Waka Kotahi, that appear to have taken it on themselves to rename.  Other departments also appear to have changed their logo

 

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
20 hours ago, Honest john said:

So how come aotearoa?

Yeah they couldn't change the flag so trying to change the name of country is a bit of a push.

Im like Hesi & Max support the basics, e.g. colours, 1-10, basic songs, words like kia kaha & whanau etc, but it seems to be going a bit too muchie muchie atm. Which to me can lead to racial division. And NZ isn't good. 

A cool thing about learning the basics at school, was when I lived in LA, at a get together there were 3 kiwis all grew up in from different areas in NZ. And randomly can't recall how it come about but we just started to belt out the words to 1 of those Maori songs learnt at school. A blondie, a redhead lol, and a TV director brunette & it was real neat. The Americans at party were SOO IMPRESSED. Like "wow dudes" It was VERY cool. We felt like the cool kids at the gig that nite. 

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I don’t have a problem, in fact I learnt phrases during maori week,the last one was my canoe has a leak. It’s just when it’s rammed down our throats, it’s all over tv now,so I’ve stopped watching the news.

my grandkids learn it at school, however they are better to learn Chinese, imho 

 

hj

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Hey Honest John are you sure that you are being honest? From you previous comments I would say that you were anti Maori. No problem just be up front and admit it. Te Reo after all is an official NZ language.

When I was at secondary school in the late 1960s I was forced to learn French. I would have loved to have learned Maori.

The land of the primary school I attended was donated by Ngati Toa. The secondary school I attended, Mana College, the land was also gifted by Ngati Toa.

The Football Club I belong to, Stop Out Sports Club, the land at Hutt Park was gifted by the Maori. The park we used to play at when we were in the National League in the 70s, Te Whiti Park  was taken by The Government under the Public Works Act during the second World War and has never been given back.

I have no problem saying that I love the Maori race but many fellow Baby Boomers do.  I watched a couple of years ago on TV a concert by Six Sixty and the young audience of 50k plus at Western Springs were singing along with the band in Maori. 

It's great to see that attitudes are changing.

 

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12 hours ago, Bloke said:

Hey Honest John are you sure that you are being honest? From you previous comments I would say that you were anti Maori. No problem just be up front and admit it. Te Reo after all is an official NZ language.

When I was at secondary school in the late 1960s I was forced to learn French. I would have loved to have learned Maori.

The land of the primary school I attended was donated by Ngati Toa. The secondary school I attended, Mana College, the land was also gifted by Ngati Toa.

The Football Club I belong to, Stop Out Sports Club, the land at Hutt Park was gifted by the Maori. The park we used to play at when we were in the National League in the 70s, Te Whiti Park  was taken by The Government under the Public Works Act during the second World War and has never been given back.

I have no problem saying that I love the Maori race but many fellow Baby Boomers do.  I watched a couple of years ago on TV a concert by Six Sixty and the young audience of 50k plus at Western Springs were singing along with the band in Maori. 

It's great to see that attitudes are changing.

 

 

I too studied French and German at high school, AND I have used them both travelling, nothing Maori would have helped me over there mate.  You think what you like about me, with no actual knowledge, but hey,let’s make assumptions eh.

I just don’t want rammed down my throat,ok?

 

hj

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It's not common public knowledge, but here is the reason much of the media is all over the Maori language in recent times, and will be for some time yet (at least). 

The government have provided a fund where media outlets can dip into. From memory, I think the total fund is about $55m, over a three year term.

But, like everything that is "free", there is a catch. What's the catch here? 

The media outlets (eg. Mediaworks, Fairfax etc) that receive some coin from the fund, have to demonstrate/acknowledge a Maori connection/association and appreciation for the Maori language. 

Of course the media will very, very rarely:

(a) admit openly and publicly about receiving this free money, and

(b) be even less likely to openly and publicly advertise the small print (the terms and conditions), about the Maori language being incorporated into their coverage. 

So that is why most of the public are clueless about this.

It's a very dangerous slope, the government pulling strings with a large portion (majority) of the media. Just ask anyone that has lived in Fiji or China. 

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And the last thing, that I will say before hitting the sack...

The local NZ media are largely in love with this current government, especially the PM. Sure there are the Mike Hoskings and Lynches etc in the media, but the majority of the media love her, and very rarely ask any tough questions. 

Why? 

My guess is because a lot of the journalist's employers, are getting massive coin at the moment via all the Covid-19 adverts! 

Oh and when they do ask the tough questions to the PM, what happens??

She refuses to be interviewed by them (eg. No longer does the PM go on the Mike Hosking breakfast show (Newstalk ZB)). 

Peace out. 

"Tova, then Jessica." 

 

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22 hours ago, Honest john said:

 

I too studied French and German at high school, AND I have used them both travelling, nothing Maori would have helped me over there mate.  You think what you like about me, with no actual knowledge, but hey,let’s make assumptions eh.

I just don’t want rammed down my throat,ok?

 

hj

Oh well Honest John you are going to be a bitter boy for a long time to come as  Te Reo is an official NZ language  and it is not going away.

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21 hours ago, karrotsishere said:

Me too re studied a foreign language at high school & used it when living overseas. 

Great info there Bloke re land gifted re Primary & Secondary Schools etc. Did not know ALL that 👍 Very kind of them at that time of gifting. 

Maoris have gifted huge amounts of land to the crown. The Tongoriro National Park, being a significant one.

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10 minutes ago, Bloke said:

Oh well Honest John you are going to be a bitter boy for a long time to come as  Te Reo is an official NZ language  and it is not going away.

Yes, at the end of the day, you have to pick your fights.  As you say, it is not going away

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2 hours ago, Bloke said:

Maoris have gifted huge amounts of land to the crown. The Tongoriro National Park, being a significant one.

 

I can and do chose what I watch, I don’t watch the news now, everything is there. This country is fast becoming a joke, my friends in the uk are laughing at us, I mean look who’s our foreign affairs minister, someone married to her first cousin with a history of woman bashing. Great advert for our country, maybe you lookup to her, I don’t.

 

hj

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