The wero to New Zealand businesses: preserving te reo Māori

This year marks the 50 year celebration of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori. Yet, with only 4.3 percent of Aotearoa able to hold a conversation in te reo Māori, the wero (challenge) has been laid to businesses to do their part to preserve the taonga.

Since its inception in 1975, Te wiki o Te Reo Māori has been a powerful way to honour Aotearoa’s indigenous language. In 1900, 95 percent of tangata Māori were fluent. By 1960, that had fallen to just 25 percent.  

Yet, revitalising a language can’t be left to just one week a year. Anyone learning a language can testify to the fact that immersion is key.

Across Aotearoa, businesses are incorporating more Māori language into their everyday activity, and many are making that special effort with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori activations. But Wai Ariki knows there’s more to be done by businesses year-round to really make an impact.

Research by the Māori Language Commission supports this, saying everyday visibility is key to revitalising te reo Māori. Normalising its use in signage, greetings and customer service not only boosts confidence and uptake, but also helps businesses strengthen staff engagement, cultural competency, and a uniquely Aotearoa brand identity. 

At Wai Ariki, this approach is already in action. As New Zealand’s first and only iwi-owned luxury spa, every element is built around Ngāti Whakaue healing practices and Te Ao Māori.  

Each treatment and area of the facility carries both a Māori and an English name – such as the flagship Wai Whakaora (Restorative Journey) – with the concept or story explained in English to ensure both immersion and understanding. 

We believe making our spaces bilingual is the sweet spot.

We deliberately surround people in our reo, tikanga and Māoritanga, while still ensuring that people have a good level of understanding, so it’s accessible.

Businesses are where people spend a large block of their time, whether as employees or customers. When te reo Māori is visible and audible in those spaces, it creates more chances to learn and connect.

Despite decades of progress, te reo Māori is still classified by UNESCO as ‘vulnerable’. That’s what makes the small, everyday efforts so important for keeping the language alive.

Want to flex your reo skills? Order your coffee at our cafe in reo during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori and we’ll give you a chocolate fish to say thanks.

Whatever stage you’re at in your reo journey, Wai Ariki is a safe space to give it a try. Whether you’ve lived in Aotearoa your entire life, or if you’re an international visitor wanting to learn the language, here’s some phrases you can try on your next visit:

Te reo Māori phrases to try during your next visit to Wai Ariki:

• How to order your coffee in te reo Māori – 
  A [coffee name] for me please – He [coffee name] māku, tēna koa

• How to book your Restorative Journey in te reo Māori – Kia ora e taea e au te tuhi Wai Whakaora?
  
• How to compliment our staff –
  Love your work – Ka pai tō mahi 

Mihi nui – big thanks

Ka wani kē – Neat alright

More te reo Māori resources at https://www.reomaori.co.nz/