He Reo Tuku Iho

Reclaiming a language is a slow-burning process, both deeply personal and intricately connected to the socio-economic, historical and political conditions in which we live. In He Reo Tuku Iho: Tangata Whenua and Te Reo Maori, Awanui Te Huia focuses on the lived experiences of tangata whenua and explores ways in which they can reclaim te reo. Drawing upon findings from the national research project Manawa u ki te reo Maori, which surveyed motivations and barriers for Maori language acquisition and use, Te Huia encourages readers to explore how they can journey back towards te reo Maori in daily life. We hear from tangata whenua learning te reo, and from those who are fluent, while considering challenges to language reclamation – such as experiences with racism, whakama, historical trauma and resourcing – and ways to overcome these.