Hawaiki Tipuna, Hawaiki Mokopuna, Kia ūkaipō anō te reo!

A health advocate for Māori, a veteran broadcaster, and a Kōhanga Reo champion walked away from this year’s Ngā Tohu Reo Māori awards with one of the highest honours of the night.
Kuini Moehau Reedy (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Mate), Kahurangi Rangimarie Naida Glavish DNZM. JP (Ngāti Whātua) and Tini Molyneux (Ngāi Tūhoe) each received a Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating their significant contributions to te reo Māori spanning over four decades.
One of our Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora partners, Te Mātāwai, sponsored the award given to Kōhanga Reo stalwart and composer – Kuini. As language champions with a strong focus on intergenerational language transmission it made sense for Te Mātāwai to present this lifetime achievement award. Presented by Te Mātāwai Board member Teina Boasa–Dean, Kuini received her award surrounded by close friends and whānau.
Te Mātāwai Tumu Whakarae Poia Rewi said it was special to see these three prominent Māori leaders and native reo speakers recognised for their dedication to revitalizing te reo Māori.
“Kuini Moehau Reedy has been instrumental in reviving te reo, tikanga, waiata and toi Māori her whole life and we were pleased to sponsor her award,” he says.
Established by Te Ture Reo Māori 2016 (Māori Language Act 2016), Te Mātāwai is the partner with the Crown in revitalising te reo Māori, while it also focuses on restoring te reo Māori as a nurturing first language within Māori homes and communities.
The Act created a partnership for the revitalisation of te reo Māori between the Crown and iwi and Māori. This partnership is expressed through the metaphor of Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora. The two sides of the partnership are represented by the maihi (bargeboards) on each side of the whare with the Maihi Karauna being represented by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori and the Maihi Māori by Te Mātāwai.
Te Mātāwai supports the language aspirations of iwi, hapū and communities through research, language planning and funding.
The entity’s new te reo Māori strategic vision is illustrated through a waka journey to Hawaiki Tipuna in 2027, with the future destination for reo revitalisation being Hawaiki Mokopuna in 2040. Hawaiki Mokopuna is described as ‘a time and space where whānau are healthy, strong and empowered to fulfil their dreams and aspirations, where te reo Māori is safe and intergenerational transmission is uninterrupted’.
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori appreciates the support of our Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora partners. We acknowledge the important work of Te Mātāwai in ensuring te reo remains a living language in our homes and communities.