Te reo Māori remains a crucial cultural asset for Māori and is protected under the Treaty of Waitangi. And Te Puni Kōkiri is playing a leading role in the government’s efforts to support the revitalisation of the Māori language. This is the first time the Crown and Māori, represented by Te Mātāwai, have entered into an active, planned partnership for revitalisation. Te Mātāwai is a new organisation established under Te Ture mō te Reo Māori 2016 (The Māori Language Act 2016) to lead revitalisation of te reo Māori on behalf of iwi and Māori. Te Mātāwai has 13 members.

Ever since the country started marking the Māori Language Week in 1975, the cultural and historical argument to preserve the language has held its ground. It's time to introduce the economic element into it as well. 

As India celebrated its 72nd independence day this month, the country also debated whether Britain owes reparations to world's largest democracy for its almost 200 years of colonial rule that ended on August 15, 1947. Actually the debate (re)started with former minister of state for external affairs Shashi Tharoor dismantling the myth of Britishers being “benevolent colonial masters” at an Oxford Union (UK) debate few years back. He then followed it up with a detailed book on the subject released early this year, Inglorious Empire – what the British did to India.

"The Ministry for Pacific Peoples works closely with Pacific communities to maintain and promote heritage languages. Part of this work is the Ministry’s support for Pacific Language Weeks, which have grown significantly since Samoan Language Week was first celebrated in 2007.”