Māori Language Commission announces more than 1 million winners of this year's Māori Language Awards

Māori Language Awards 2020 shared by more than 1 million

Kua tohaina Ngā Tohu Reo Māori 2020 ki te kotahi miriona tāngata neke

Every person who took part in this year’s historic Māori Language Moment is a joint winner of the Supreme 2020 Māori Language Award.

Ko ia tangata i whai wāhi mai ki Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori i ahurei ai i tēnei tau, kua whakawhiwhia ki te tohu whakaihuwaka o Ngā Tohu Reo Māori 2020.

"More than one million people joined us during Māori Language Week to take part in what is now the biggest Māori language event in history. Each of them is now a Ngā Tohu Reo Māori Award winner," said Ngahiwi Apanui, Māori Language Commission chief executive.

"Koni atu i te kotahi miriona tāngata i hono mai i Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori ki te whakanui ngātahi i te kaupapa nui rawa o te reo Māori. Ko rātou katoa tēnā kua whakawhiwhia ki te Tohu Reo Māori," te kī a Ngahiwi Apanui, Tumu Whakahaere o Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori.

"There are no losers when it comes to learning and speaking te reo Māori; this year we celebrate more than one million language champions from across Aotearoa and around the world."

"Kāore he hunga kei raro e putu ana, i te mahi ako me te kōrero i te reo Māori; i tēnei tau kei te whakanui ngātahi tātou i ngā toa reo Māori, neke atu i te kotahi miriona, puta noa i Aotearoa, i te ao anō hoki."

"We changed how we do things to respond to COVID-19: and New Zealanders turned that crisis into a landmark, virtual celebration."

"I tīni ō tātou tikanga e pai ai te takahi i te horopaki o te KOWHEORI-19; ā, i hurihia tērā mōrearea e Ngai Aotearoa whānui, hei whakanui ahurei ā-mariko."

"We have an audacious goal to have one million Māori language speakers by 2040: the winners of this year’s Māori Language Awards have shown us that our audacious goal is an achievable goal."

" He pae tawhiti tā mātou, kia kotahi miriona ngā tangata e taea ana te kōrero Māori i mua i te tau 2040: Kua whakaaturia mai e ngā toa o Ngā Tohu Reo Māori o te tau nei, ka taea taua pae tawhiti te whakamau kia tina."

Commission representatives were at Upper Hutt School today to present students and staff with a neon Hei Tiki light. Organisations and individuals who recruited the most people to take part in the moment have been recognised this week. All those who registered to take part will receive certificates in coming weeks.

I tau atu ngā ringaringa waewae o Te Taura Whiri ki te kura tuatahi o Upper Hutt i te rangi nei, kia tuku atu tētahi rama Hei Tiki ki ngā tauira me ngā kaimahi i reira. Kua whakanuia i te wiki nei, ngā tangata me ngā whakahaere kua kaha taritari nei te tangata kia hono mai ki Te Wā Tuku Reo Māori. Ka whai tohu ngā tangata katoa i rēhita kia whai wāhi mai, hei ngā wiki tata nei.

The Maori Language Commission has redesigned Ngā Tohu Reo Māori so that this year, whether we are in lockdown or not: New Zealanders can come together to celebrate te reo Māori.

Kua whakahoutia Ngā Tohu Reo Māori e Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, nō reira, ahakoa rāhui mai, rāhui kore mai rānei i tēnei tau, ka whakakotahi tonu mai a Aotearoa tangata ki te whakanui i te reo Māori.

The commission confirmed it would not host major face-to-face gatherings in 2020, meaning Māori Language Week parades and the Māori Language Awards Dinner would be replaced with virtual events.

I whakatau hoki a Te Taura Whiri e kore ia e whakatū i ngā hui ā-tinana nunui i te tau 2020. Nā reira ka whakakapihia ngā rangatū mō te reo me te hākari mō Ngā Tohu Reo Māori ki ētahi kaupapa ā-hangarau.

Honour the past, keep ourselves safe now and prepare for the future together!

Keep the Māori language strong!

Kia whakamihia a neherā, kia haumaru ai tātou i tēnei wā, hei whakatikatika hoki i tō tātou anga whakamua haere ake nei!