Plain and simple....mandate te reo Maori in every part of our society and follow this up by making te reo Maori compulsory at school....now that is real progress out of colonization and into enlightenment..":)

Fc_Shaza - Maori never abandoned thier culture and language. The key reason the language was lost was because Maori became forbiden in schools and other social institutions in the process of colonisation and assimilation of maori into Pakeha society.

And to all those who continue to spoout about how Maori are over-represented in negative statistics, then ask yourself why that is? Maori under achieve in education because during the early 1900s Maori were chanelled away from core subjects that would give opportunities for proffesional jobs into areas of physical labour. There are alot of political processes and policies that pakeha introduced that marginalised and dissadvataged maori in modern society. Colonisation over 170 years ago was not the only terrible thing you have to be sorry for. It continues today.

Would just like to point out that "useful" languages are only useful because they are used? Hello? Use the Maori language and it will become your version of "useful". Not the brightest stars.

Adam the pom #64

Sorry Adam, I should've been more specific. I was referring to European-New Zealanders. As for the Americans, yeah, I was in the States in 1999 and again in 2006; and they are very much 'inwards focused' if it didn't happen in America, or America wasn't involved - it never happened or is insignificant.

Didn't know about the fork - thanks for that, I'll do a bit of research and tell my students about it.

Have a good one mate.

@Adam: No worries. I add this because it can place some of the reaction to this in context. NZ imposed a poll tax on all Chinese immigrants from late in the 19th century. Not on any other race. In about 1880 the tax was $10 (can't get a pound sign working). It was imposed as late as 1934 and the legislation discriminating against Chinese was finally repealed in 1944.

The NZ Government finally apologised to the Chinese community in 2002.

Funny thing is that there is often "racism" by one established ethnic group against new immigrants of their own ethnicity.

I think the relationship between Maori and Chinese has improved greatly, but then I have a slightly skewed view. My wife is NZ Chinese, an uncle in influential in the Chinese community, and an aunty married a Maori man influential in the Ratana church.

**That** family is nothing short of amazing. The bring together the best of Maori, Chinese and European cultures.

I'm proud to be Pakeha, and so naturally, I'm learning the native language of my beloved country - why wouldn't I? I love poetry, history, oratory, culture and intelligent life. It's also paid my very good salary for the last twenty years, in a range of challenging positions. I have had the good fortune to be taught by some wonderful experts. Humility, collaboration, service to others and philanthropy have been some lessons via Maori culture that I am working on still. Of course, learning languages is a great way to expand the mind. Perhaps it is just as well that te reo Maori is not compulsory. Readiness, motivation, prior experience and maturity make such a difference to learning.

Brent Kerehona #63

Good post mate. Minor quibble,

"a fact so many modern-day Europeans are unaware" (about the chinese inventing gunpowder)

Most modern europeans outside the UK have a pretty reasonable grasp of global history, we dont have the inward looking education system that is prevalent in NZ (and the US).

Interestingly, the Chinese also invented the fork. Go figure?!! Bright lads them Chinese.

In response to Fran's comments. Fran #55 10:03 pm Aug 02 2010

'Man, the Maori had not even invented the wheel, metal tools or weapons, writing or much else by the time Europeans arrived - something the Europeans managed 5,000 years ago. Makes you wonder.... Now you want us to learn their language? Why?'

Interesting post Fran.

Maori were isolated in the Pacific with no interaction outside of the Pacific Ocean - so therefore, no 'new' ideas came into society. When you are able to interact with a number of other cultures, nations, and regions, on a regular basis - a constant stream and exchange of 'new' ideas occur. This is why, there was so much progress in Egypt and China, thousands of years before any significant developments occurred in Europe. Egyptian and Chinese civilisations had wheels, metal tools, and writing, prior to Europeans; who only 'acquired' some of these ideas during the past 2,000-3,000 years.

In the absence of 'wheels' - Maori warriors used logs placed under their waka so they could roll them overland. Waka hauled huge distances by this means and no one complained - not having wheels didn't stop us from achieving our objective.

In the absence of 'metal tools' - Maori used wooden,stone and bone tools. For hundreds of years, Maori cultivated the land, grew crops, cut wood, constructed canoes, houses, and completed elaborate carvings; and all this without 'metal' - go figure?

In the absence of 'writing' on a piece of paper - Maori were able to recall complex whakapapa (family genealogy), history, procedures on cultivation, and the rules for conserving foods and plants; which sometimes literally took days to repeat. I would think that this would take considerable mental capacities - and not as easy as writing information on a bit of paper, bit by bit, until it was done.

The absence of 'weapons'? I assume you're referring to firearms, as opposed to hand-held close combat weapons (such as patu, mere, taiaha, tewhatewha, and hoeroa) to name but a few. No, Maori didn't possess firearms as long as the European had (only aquiring them in the early 1800s). However, this makes the Maori response to their introduction and use by Europeans, all the more impressive. For hundreds of years, Europeans possessed firearms and yet they stood in rows, out in the open, shooting at each other; until no one remained - not just poor tactics but absolutely stupid! Maori, on the other hand, when faced with these challenges (only having had firearms for around 30 years); invented and utilised bunkers, trenches, pallisades, and firing platforms, against European soldiers and settlers during the New Zealand Land Wars - these same defensive ideas still being utilised by modern-day military forces the world over. A design and model of Titokowaru's pa at Tauranga-Ika, being taken back to London in the late 1860s); to be studied by British Officers, and employed in future wars (WW1, WW2, etc).

*Another point - the Chinese invented rockets, firearms and gun-powder (from which Europeans modelled their muskets, blunderbuss', corronades, etc) and not Europeans (a fact so many modern-day Europeans are unaware) - so it seems that Europeans stole (I mean 'acquired') the idea from others.

Maybe the pakeha isn't as intelligent as he thinks?

Im going to keep this simple. I am Maori. I speak fluent Maori. I am 30 years of age. I also speak fluent English. I speak a little bit of Mandarin. I probably speak more Mandarin than many Pakeha speak Maori. Economicly my Maoritanga/language have looked after me so I am living proof that it has economic value. I have traveled overseas on many occasions and ALL the people that I have visited understand the importance of retaining ones language and culture. Unfortunatey their are many narrow minded people here in NZ that think otherwise. Previous comments point and case. 1 language is better then none, 2 better than 1, 3 better then 2 ect...Maori/English/Sign = languages of Aotearoa. We are forced to learn English at schools, not Maori. However I am not worried.Many of you out there are not worthy of my tongue anyway....

adam #44

Im Whinging? Thank you!!!!!

Finally someone sees my point, my post was sarcastic bassically mocking Maori Leadership for there pathetic, annoying, whingy attitude towards the people that brought them so much.

Personally maori language week is not really a problem for me, I speak a little from my days at St Thomas's however the actions of Maori leadership is laughable. Hell according to the comments in here im part Maori ( I know I have enough to play for the Maori All Blacks whatever that means haha) and I am disgusted with my leadership!

They bassically need to get rid of Hone and start making some sense...