Te reo Māori — the Māori language — is a taonga (treasure) and an official language of New Zealand. After decades of decline following colonisation, te reo Māori is experiencing revitalisation — driven by government investment, community action, and growing Māori and non-Māori enthusiasm for the language. Grant funding for language revitalisation supports a wide range of activities from kōhanga reo (language nests) to media production.
The revitalisation movement
Te reo Māori faced near-extinction in the 20th century — children were punished for speaking Māori in schools, and English became dominant. The revitalisation movement, driven by Māori communities since the 1970s-80s, has reversed this decline:
- Kōhanga Reo (1982): language nests for tamariki under 5
- Kura Kaupapa Māori: Māori-medium schools
- Wharekura: Māori-medium secondary schools
- Te Kura (Correspondence School te reo programmes)
- Wānanga (Māori universities)
- Māori broadcasting (Te Māngai Pāho, Te Ahi Kā, Whakaata Māori)
Current status
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission)
Te Taura Whiri is the statutory body for te reo Māori revitalisation — it advises the government and has grant funding programmes:
- Grants for organisations promoting te reo Māori use
- Resources for language learning
- Support for language planning in communities and organisations
- Tohu (awards) for excellence in te reo Māori
Te Māngai Pāho (Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency)
Te Māngai Pāho funds Māori broadcasting:
- Radio programmes in te reo Māori
- Television content (Whakaata Māori / Māori Television)
- Online and podcast content
- Music and audio production
Ministry of Education
Funding for Māori-medium education:
- Kōhanga Reo: directly funded through Kōhanga Reo National Trust
- Kura Kaupapa Māori and bilingual units: funded through schools budget
- Tū Rangatira (teaching in te reo Māori)
Te Puni Kōkiri
TPK funds Māori language revitalisation as part of Māori development:
- Community language plans
- Whānau ora language support
- Māori language community grants
Lotteries Community
Lotteries grants can support te reo Māori and cultural programmes.
New Zealand has significant Pacific language communities — Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori, Niuean, and others:
Pacific Aotearoa funding
Pacific language revitalisation through:
- Ministry for Pacific Peoples
- Pacific bilingual and immersion education
- Pacific language community support
Pacific community language nests
Similar to kōhanga reo — Pacific language nests for young children:
- Aoga Amata (Samoan language nests)
- Tongan language nests
- Cook Islands Māori language nests
Pacific Arts and Culture
Creative NZ funds Pacific language and cultural expression — including te reo Māori alongside Pacific languages.
New Zealand's multicultural population maintains community languages:
- NZ Sign Language (official language) — supported through Ministry of Education
- Community language schools (Chinese, Korean, Hindi, Arabic, and others)
- Community language learning programmes
Language learning
Language nests and immersion education
Media and digital content
Language documentation
Community language planning
Children's literacy in te reo Māori
Community leadership
Te reo Māori revitalisation is driven by Māori communities — programmes must be led by Māori, not delivered to Māori. Show Māori governance and community leadership.
Language quality
Funders prioritise quality te reo Māori — applications should demonstrate commitment to correct, fluent language rather than basic or incorrect usage.
Intergenerational transmission
The most critical goal is intergenerational transmission — children growing up as speakers. Applications that support this goal (kōhanga reo, family language plans, youth immersion) are especially valued.
Normalisation
Language revitalisation aims for normalisation — te reo Māori as a normal part of everyday life, not just formal settings. Programmes that normalise te reo in workplaces, media, and public spaces are valuable.
Connection to tikanga
Te reo and tikanga are inseparable — programmes that ground language in cultural practice and knowledge are more holistic than pure language instruction.
Tahua's grants management platform supports language revitalisation funders and Māori organisations managing te reo Māori grants — with kaupapa Māori programme tracking, language outcome measurement, community engagement data, and the tools that help language funders demonstrate progress toward te reo Māori revitalisation goals.