Maori Language Week marks its 34th year this week with celebrations kicking off today (Monday 27th) around campus and New Zealand. Maori Language Week began in New Zealand in 1975 and has since been a week of appreciation for the native language of New Zealand.

Waikato University is hosting an array of seminars and events all week across campus to increase knowledge about Te Reo Maori and its history. Starting today, the university will be hosting workshops for four different types of haka: Monday - He Oranga at A.G.30, Tuesday – Ka Mate at A.G.30, Wednesday –Te Puru at MSB 1.05, Thursday – Tika tonu at L.G.02. All haka seminars are one hour and start at 12pm daily.

On Friday, Dr Te taka Keegan will be on campus to discuss his involvement with the translation of Google.com into Te Reo Maori.

A hangi will be on sale on Wednesday to FASS students only, while the WSU will set up on the Village Green to give out soup to other students.

An initiative that has been set up to coincide with Maori Language Week is a bunch of weekly Manu Ao seminars which discuss prominent Maori issues. The seminars kick off this week with the topic of ‘reclaiming the usage of Maori place names’ and is seen as a way to strengthen links between Maori academics and Maori professionals.

The Manu Ao Academy is an inter-university Maori academy which broadcasts its lectures to eight institutions around New Zealand. The seminars are held every Wednesday 12:30pm – 1:30pm.

Maori Vice-President Whetu Taukamo is feverishly excited about Maori Language Week and has some tips for students. “I think if every day student’s make an attempt on using Maori words in regular speech that would be awesome. Have a go at pronouncing some Maori place names correctly and try to understand how the Maori language works.”

More emphasis is being placed on the importance of such cultural events as Maori Language Week. The reality that over 60% of Te Reo speakers are over 60 means that the younger generation needs to embrace its native culture otherwise something unique to New Zealand could be lost forever.