Today, I had the honour of speaking on a global panel alongside other Indigenous leaders at the Waves 2025 Indigenous Languages Summit in Ottawa, Canada. Invited by the Indigenous Languages Commissioner of Canada, this summit is the largest Indigenous languages conference ever organised. With nearly 3000 participants, discussing our country’s Māori language journey was a moment of pride and reflection—not just for me personally, but for the journey of te reo Māori and the communities who have fought to keep it alive, thriving, and admired around the world. 

One of the key messages I shared was the importance of normalising Indigenous languages in the countries where they originate. When a language is visible, audible, and embraced in public life, it connects with not only its Indigenous speakers but all citizens. Language is a bridge, not a barrier. It fosters understanding, pride, and a shared sense of place.  

Our reo Māori narrative resonates far beyond Aotearoa. It is a story of resilience, innovation, and cultural reclamation. Time and again, I heard from fellow Indigenous delegates about how our approach to language planning and policy has inspired their own efforts. From immersion education to broadcasting, from legislative recognition to everyday usage, te reo Māori has become a blueprint for revitalisation. It is not just a language—it is a movement. 

However, this movement is not without resistance. I spoke candidly about the antiquated views that still linger—those that suggest our Indigenous languages are irrelevant, not modern, or of no value outside our respective communities. These attitudes are relics of colonisation, where languages are often the first casualty. To this, I offered a simple but powerful phrase: “Not today, coloniser!” It became a rallying cry throughout the summit, emboldening others to push back against dismissive narratives and reclaim the dignity of their languages. 

Ironically, while I was being celebrated internationally for our language leadership, I was disturbed to learn that back home, the Minister for Education had ordered the removal of Māori words from a set of children’s readers. This act is not just tone-deaf—it screams modern-day colonisation. Te reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand. Bilingualism and multilingualism are proven to enhance cognitive development in children. To actively strip Māori words from educational materials is to deny all our children the benefits of linguistic diversity and undermine the very essence of who we are. 

To put things into perspective, we are talking about 84 kupu Māori across 27 books. This is hardly a tidal wave of confusion. The Minister's claim that excluding Māori is simply "consistent" with kura Māori excluding English is absurd. English is omnipresent in Aotearoa, and our kids in reo Māori education settings cannot escape it. Using efforts to revitalise an official language as an excuse to sideline it is both petty and damaging. Furthermore, I was disappointed that the Minister did not say that all of the readers would be provided in te reo Māori as well so that all children could access readers in both languages. 

This decision is not just an insult to the intelligence of young children or the skills of their teachers; it utterly undermines the love New Zealanders have for te reo. Research from the University of Canterbury (2023) indicates that even New Zealanders who do not speak Māori can recognise more than 1000 Māori words. Notwithstanding, the many Māori words that already feature in the Oxford Dictionary because they become common usage in the way New Zealanders speak English. This is not about phonics; it is about prejudice, and it is shameful. 

There is a contradiction of todayʻs experience—global admiration versus domestic erasure—which must be addressed. We cannot allow the progress of te reo Māori revitalisation to be undone by political short-sightedness. Our language is not a threat; it is a treasure. And as I saw at Waves 2025, it is a treasure that others around the world are eager to learn from.  

Let us continue to speak boldly, challenge colonial acts of the past and present, and ensure that our languages are not only preserved but celebrated. Because every time we say “Not today, coloniser,” we make space for tomorrow’s speakers.