Aotearoa marks 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) this year, and nationwide celebrations will run from 14-20 September 2025. 

“Kai brings people together, and so does te reo Māori,” says Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri. 

“By teaming up with others, we’re showing that te reo, like kai, nourishes our tinana,  hearts and minds. Having a kai and a kōrero together is a chance to enjoy it all”. 

Indulge with te reo and Whānau Kai

In one delicious partnership, Whānau Kai creator Naomi Toilalo Naomi, a well-known television presenter, cookbook author, and digital influencer, has come aboard with her Whānau Kai platform to celebrate Te Wiki by showcasing recipes infused with te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, and whānau values. She says Te Wiki is a special time to celebrate and remember how far te reo has come.

“Te Wiki o te Reo Māori always brings celebration to me. My Māmā grew up in a time when te reo Māori was disregarded. We fast forward to 2025 and there is so much to celebrate, we have come so far as a country and Te Wiki o te Reo Māori reminds us to look back in reflection and look forward in anticipation,” says Naomi.

To mark the occasion, Naomi shares her decadent chocolate almond cake with chocolate Biscoff buttercream, a birthday cake to celebrate Te Wiki’s big 5-0.

“50 years is such a wonderful milestone so I wanted to make it as full of flavour and texture as I could. Everyone loves a chocolate cake and when it is decorated with Maltesers, a chocolate and Biscoff buttercream and raspberry marshmallows - that to me is a cake worthy of celebration!” Naomi says.

The full recipe is available now on reomaori.co.nz and the Whānau Kai website, there you can also find a step-by-step video

Order your Bargain Box meal kit and get cooking with te reo

Te Taura Whiri has also teamed up with meal kit service Bargain Box by My Food Bag, husband and wife content creators Tahu and Chaeli Hollis, and best mate actors Scotty Cotter and Pehia King. Each couple has a crack up in the kitchen as they cook the recipes that have been translated into Māori especially for Te Wiki. 

“At Bargain Box by My Food Bag, we’re excited to partner with Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori in celebration of te reo. The kīhini is the heart of the home, and preparing and cooking kai is the perfect chance for whānau to give te reo a go together - making practice fun, natural, and part of everyday life,” says Bargain Box Brand Manager Austen Pierson.

There are two Te Wiki Bargain Boxes to order – the 20-Minute Cheeseburger Pasta (Oko Parāoa Rimurapa Tīhipaka Mīti Kau 20-Meneti) and Southern Fried Chicken (Heihei Auahi Parai). The kits are only available for a limited time (Kit One 1-8 September, and Kit Two 8-14 September), so get in quick. Details are on the Bargain Box