Finalists in the Māori Language Commission’s 16th Ngā Tohu Reo Māori, the National Māori Language Awards, have been announced.

40 finalists have been selected from more than 150 nominations. This year’s ceremony will be hosted by the Commission and will be held at Cordis Auckland on 6 December.

Māori Language Commission Chief Executive Ngahiwi Apanui says the awards are an important event in the Māori language calendar and an opportunity to acknowledge long-term commitment by individuals and groups to Māori language revitalisation.

“The 2019 theme was again ‘Kia kaha te reo Māori’: ‘May the Māori language be strong’. These finalists show that yes, it is strong!”.

Categories this year include awards for individuals and groups, for categories such as arts and entertainment, education, business, media and broadcasting.

Iwi | Tribe

• Te Rūnanga o Rangitāne o Wairau
• Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated
• Radio Ngāti Porou

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Mātāwai

Whānau | Family

• Te Tūāpapa o Te Reo | Moerewa - Smith Whānau
• Te Whakawhitinga | Te Whānau Aranui
• Hone Erihe | Hone Erihe
• You Ripped Out My Mother Tongue | Tessa Williams

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Mātāwai

Hāpori – Māori community revitalisation initiatives

• Te Reo ki Tua - Māori Language Revitalisation Symposium | Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated
• Te Reo Wainene o Tua | Te Reo Wainene o Tua\
• Kai Kōrero | Kai Kōrero

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Mātāwai

Aotearoatanga | New Zealand Community

• Mahuru Māori | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Waiata Anthems | Hinewehi Mohi
• Kai Kōrero | Kai Kōrero

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage

Rangatahi – revitalisation targeting or led by rangatahi

• Ngā Motu - Mahimaina | Piki Studios
• Maimoa Music | Maimoa Music

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Vodafone

Mātauranga – Kaupapa Māori | Education – Māori Medium

• HīAko | CORE Education
• Te Panekiretanga o te Reo | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Te Whai Hua, Kia Ora | Commission of Financial Capability and Core Education

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education

Mātauranga – Whānui | Education – Open

• Ngā Motu - Mahimaina | Piki Studios
• Te Wā Kia PuTa | Mihinoa Naden
• Coding in te Reo Māori | Pam Fergusson Trust (OMGTech!)

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education

Kāwanatanga | Government

• Moving Towards a Bilingual Future | NZQA
• Erima Henare Rei Development Award |Oranga Tamariki and Ministry of Social Development
• Te Papa | Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Kaitautoko | Sponsor te Puni Kōkiri

Pakihi | Business

• ASB Kete Aronui App | ASB Bank Limited (Māori Financial Solutions)
• Pipi Mā | Pipi Mā
• Fush | Fush

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise

Te Mahi Toi, Te Mahi Whakangahau | Arts and Entertainment

• Ngā Motu - Mahimaina | Piki Studios
• Ngā Tohu Puoro o Aotearoa | Recorded Music New Zealand
• Waiata Anthems | Hinewehi Mohi

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Matatini

Hākinakina | Sports

• Te Reo Yoga | Te Reo Yoga
• Te Wānanga o Raukawa Central Pulse and Netball Central Zone | Te Wānanga o Raukawa Central Pulse and Netball Central Zone
• Waka Reo | Ōtaki Waka Hoe Charitable Trust

Ngā Mahi Pāpāho | Broadcasting and Media

• Living By The Stars - Matariki | Punarau Media Limited
• Mahuru Māori | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Reo Time | WarnerMedia Entertainment Network

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Te Māngai Pāho

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori | Māori Language Week

• Mahuru Māori | Te Wānanga o Aotearoa
• Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga
• Te Ara Nui | Air New Zealand

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Māori Television

Te Tohu Kōrurenga Hau - Culture Change

• Fush | Fush
• Moe Milne | Moe Milne
• Scotty Morrison | Scotty Morrison

Kaitautoko | Sponsor Toi Aotearoa | Creative New Zealand