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Maori Language in the Manawatu Whanganui Region: Analysis and Discussion of Preliminary Findings From the Te Hoe Nuku Roa Household Survey
Abstract
Ko Te Hoe Nuku Roa tētahi kaupapa rangahau tiro
whāroa e whakahaerehia ana e Te Pūtahi-ā-Toi, te
wāhanga Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Manawatū.
Ko te kaupapa rangahau nei he hauhake i ngā
āhuatanga matatini o ngā kāinga Māori, hei āwhina i
ngā kaiwhakatakoto kaupapa e haere whakamua ai te
iwi Māori.
I waenganui i te tau 1995, ka haere te uiuinga
tuatahi i ngā kāinga Māori 102 (226 katoa ngā tāngata),
i te rohe o Manawatū/Whanganui. E 21 ngā pātai e pā
ana ki te reo Māori me ōna āhuatanga i te kāinga i
whakauru atu ki te rārangi patapātai. Kua oti te tātari
ngā whakautu, ā, ko te whakaatu mai kei te āhua heke
haere te reo Māori i tēnei rohe. Ahakoa tēnā, kei te
tina ngākaunui te iwi ki te reo me tōna oranga
tonutanga. Me āta whakatakoto he kaupapa e ora tonu
mai ai te reo ka tika, ōtīrā, me mau tonu te mana
whakahaere i aua kaupapa kite iwi Māori. Me hāngai
tonu nga kaupapa ki te kāinga me te hapori tata, ina
koirā te wāhi matua e ora tonu ai te reo. He wāhanga
nui hoki tā ngā whakahaere tūmatanui (te mātauranga,
te pāpaho, ngā rūnanga-a-rohe, me ētahi atu) hei
tautoko i ngā mahi nui o te kāinga.
Te Hoe Nuku Roa is a longitudinal study of Māori
households being undertaken by a team of researchers
in the Department of Māori Studies at Massey
University. The overall aim of the project is to provide
a sound empirical understanding of the diverse
realities of Māori households. This will provide information
for Māori and other planners, and therefore
help facilitate the development of policies and programmes
appropriate to Māori cultural, social and
economic advancement. The initial survey of Māori
households in the Manawatū Whanganui region (one
of the regions in the study), took place in 1995. The
questionnaire included some 21 questions about the
attitudes, aspirations, proficiency and use of Māori
language by the household members. The results show
that with regard to proficiency and use, Māori language
is in a state of decline within the region. There
is however, a positive attitude toward, and aspiration
for the revitalisation of the language, and in order to
tum this into positive outcomes, there is some urgency
for action. A number of initiatives are suggested, with
the overriding concern that the impetus and control
remain with the Māori people of the region and their
organisations. It is important to concentrate on the
nexus of home and community (Fishman) as the major
domains for revitalisation activity, however the
contribution that initiatives in the public arena (including
education and broadcasting) can make in supporting
and influencing Māori language use in the home
and community should not be overlooked.
whāroa e whakahaerehia ana e Te Pūtahi-ā-Toi, te
wāhanga Māori o Te Whare Wānanga o Manawatū.
Ko te kaupapa rangahau nei he hauhake i ngā
āhuatanga matatini o ngā kāinga Māori, hei āwhina i
ngā kaiwhakatakoto kaupapa e haere whakamua ai te
iwi Māori.
I waenganui i te tau 1995, ka haere te uiuinga
tuatahi i ngā kāinga Māori 102 (226 katoa ngā tāngata),
i te rohe o Manawatū/Whanganui. E 21 ngā pātai e pā
ana ki te reo Māori me ōna āhuatanga i te kāinga i
whakauru atu ki te rārangi patapātai. Kua oti te tātari
ngā whakautu, ā, ko te whakaatu mai kei te āhua heke
haere te reo Māori i tēnei rohe. Ahakoa tēnā, kei te
tina ngākaunui te iwi ki te reo me tōna oranga
tonutanga. Me āta whakatakoto he kaupapa e ora tonu
mai ai te reo ka tika, ōtīrā, me mau tonu te mana
whakahaere i aua kaupapa kite iwi Māori. Me hāngai
tonu nga kaupapa ki te kāinga me te hapori tata, ina
koirā te wāhi matua e ora tonu ai te reo. He wāhanga
nui hoki tā ngā whakahaere tūmatanui (te mātauranga,
te pāpaho, ngā rūnanga-a-rohe, me ētahi atu) hei
tautoko i ngā mahi nui o te kāinga.
Te Hoe Nuku Roa is a longitudinal study of Māori
households being undertaken by a team of researchers
in the Department of Māori Studies at Massey
University. The overall aim of the project is to provide
a sound empirical understanding of the diverse
realities of Māori households. This will provide information
for Māori and other planners, and therefore
help facilitate the development of policies and programmes
appropriate to Māori cultural, social and
economic advancement. The initial survey of Māori
households in the Manawatū Whanganui region (one
of the regions in the study), took place in 1995. The
questionnaire included some 21 questions about the
attitudes, aspirations, proficiency and use of Māori
language by the household members. The results show
that with regard to proficiency and use, Māori language
is in a state of decline within the region. There
is however, a positive attitude toward, and aspiration
for the revitalisation of the language, and in order to
tum this into positive outcomes, there is some urgency
for action. A number of initiatives are suggested, with
the overriding concern that the impetus and control
remain with the Māori people of the region and their
organisations. It is important to concentrate on the
nexus of home and community (Fishman) as the major
domains for revitalisation activity, however the
contribution that initiatives in the public arena (including
education and broadcasting) can make in supporting
and influencing Māori language use in the home
and community should not be overlooked.
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