Māori Language Week, te wiki o te reo Māori, is a government-sponsored initiative intended to encourage New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

ers to promote the use of Māori language

Maori language

Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...

. Māori, English and New Zealand Sign Language

New Zealand Sign Language

New Zealand Sign Language or NZSL is the main language of the Deaf community in New Zealand. It became an official language of New Zealand in April 2006, alongside Te Reo Māori....

 are the official national languages of New Zealand. It is part of the broader Māori language revival.

It has been celebrated since 1975 and is currently spear-headed by Te Puni Kōkiri

Te Puni Kokiri

Te Puni Kōkiri is a New Zealand Public Sector Department responsible for Māori public policy and policy affecting Māori.The department, called TPK for short, reports to the Minister of Māori Affairs...

, the Ministry of Māori Development and the Māori Language Commission

Maori Language Commission

New Zealand's Māori Language Commission is an autonomous crown entity set up under the Māori Language Act 1987 with the following functions:...

, with many organisations participating, including schools, libraries, government departments, etc.

In 2010, it ran from 26 July to 1 August.

External links

• Korero Maori website
• Maori Language Week - Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori (NZHistory.net.nz) - history of the Maori language and the related Treaty of Waitangi claims