'It's a guessing game with a bilingual twist. A resource these students use to learn a language they love. Now they have a dedicated space outside the classroom where te reo Māori is the primary language spoken'
Waipapa Taumata Rau-Auckland University has set aside a space in its library for people to practise te reo Māori.
Dubbed ReoSpace, the initiative was launched today by the university's Te Tumu Herenga library staff, students and whānau.
Abigail McClutchie (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Porou), kaiārahi of the library, said they are excited to welcome Māori speakers of all levels to the new space.
"This space is for everybody. If you have even a small inkling of 'maybe I can learn', 'maybe I could practise', 'maybe I could meet others', 'maybe I could start this journey or continue that journey' — if you're a kaimahi, a staff member, if you're a tauira, a student, even if you're from the community, this place is for you.
It was really important for me right from the beginning that this was not just about us and our students, this was about people who had a love and desire for te reo."
According to the library’s website, ReoSpace is a safe, welcoming, inclusive space "where te reo is centred as the primary language of communication".
During the semester from Tuesday to Thursday, kaiāwhina will host lunchtime sessions to encourage people to kōrero by using games and activities.
Kaiāwhina and student Kākātārau Te Pou Kohere (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Tūhoe, Ngāi Tahu) said the initiative is about creating a rūmaki, or immersive, environment and normalising te reo in public spaces.
"It's something that is quite important, not just because te reo is endangered, but because it's a living, breathing vessel of mātauranga, conversation.
There's a lot of things you can say in one language but not the other, he said.
Every language has its own wairua, its own spirit, its own essence that comes across, and so spaces like these allow you to feel it, allow you to just come in and listen.
And it's a starting point for people who just want to normalise it and bring it into the rest of the public sphere."
ReoSpace uses a coloured band system to identify the speaker's level of reo and assigns a bird to represent each level: kiwi is red to represent the beginner level, pīwaiwaka is orange for the casual speaker, tūī is white for the conversational speaker, and kāhu is black to show a speaker who is fluent.
"Ultimately, this space is open for people who wish to practise te reo," Te Pou Kohere said. We'll probably be here outside of our hours just because it's a place to speak Māori, like, it's made to speak te reo Māori in, that's its purpose, and so may as well do it."
McClutchie said even if there isn't anyone in the space when you go, by visiting "you've made a stand for your reo".
"Open your phone, listen to something. You just feel welcome in this space and one day, who knows, we could have more reo spaces."
Te Pou Kohere took it a step further.
"I'm hoping it'll eventually get to the point where we won't need these spaces because te reo is normal, te reo is just flying on the airwaves, te reo is public and publicly accepted. I don't think that's a big dream, I think that's something I hope to see in my lifetime."
Glossary
whānau – family
kaiārahi – leader
kaimahi – staff, worker
tauira – student
kaiāwhina – helper, supporter
kōrero – talk, speak
reo – language
te reo (Māori) – the Māori language
rūmaki – to immerse, immersion
mātauranga – knowledge
wairua – spirit
