Te Reo Māori me ōnā tīkanga

At the end of another Te wiki o te reo Māori, two of our Board members reflect on why they feel it is important for all Graduate Women Canterbury Board members to learn Te Reo Māori (the Māori language) and Māori tikanga (Māori customs and traditions).

Over the past year, the GWC Board have been on a personal journey to learn more about the impact of Te Tiriti o Waitangi on the work that they do as Board members. In addition, the Board made a conscious decision to also learn te reo Māori so that they could learn correct pronunciation and become more confident in their efforts to incorporate tikanga into Board meetings.

The Board believes that their efforts enable them to have more of an understanding of the importance for all New Zealanders to have the opportunity to learn te reo and tikanga. Te reo Māori and tikanga are a significant part of the way we live in Aotearoa today.  Learning Te Reo and tikanga is also part of New Zealand's ongoing process of decolonisation. It acknowledges past injustices and seeks to rectify them by recognising and respecting Māori culture and rights.

Importantly, learning te reo and tikanga fosters a respect for Māori culture, which is enshrined in the te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Charissa Waerea and Jennifer Leahy