Zizi Sparks: Bilingual road signs a no-brainer

A bilingual sign at the entrance to Rotorua. Photo / File

OPINION

What do Wales, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia, and Rotorua, New Zealand have in common?

They all, in some place or another, have bilingual signs.

Some have gone as far as to implement rules to enforce their use.

The 1993 Welsh Language Act obliged all organisations in the public sector to treat Welsh and English on an equal basis and made bilingual signs a legal requirement.

Belgium has three official languages and many signs are there in Dutch and French.

And in parts of Slovenia, the law requires all official signs, including road signs, to be in multiple official languages.

Entrances to Rotorua also have bilingual signs, with the one near the Hemo Roundabout proudly saying both "Welcome to Rotorua" and "Nau mai ki Rotorua".

Despite there being a te reo presence on signs nationwide, it is not a legal requirement and this week Te Tatau o Te Arawa representative Rawiri Waru called for a rule review to allow te reo Māori to have the same standing as English on road signs.

Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency, which works within legislation, says what is permitted on traffic signs is "quite limited in terms of wording and symbols" and any changes would need to go through the Ministry of Transport.

According to the 2018 Census, 31.8 per cent of people in the Bay of Plenty are of Māori descent. While it isn't the highest percentage nationwide - Gisborne has 54.6 per cent and Northland 38.7 per cent - it is higher than the national figure of 18.5 per cent and we are a region that attracts international, and more recently, domestic tourists.

We should be showcasing te reo loud and proud. Road signs can, and should, provide both te reo and an English translation. That way we are showcasing the two languages, and if anyone doesn't understand what "nau mai ki" means, there is an English translation which encourages them to learn.

A NZTA spokeswoman said there were other ways to "display or promote" te reo Māori than traffic signs that were "potentially far more useful, given they can be larger … and less restrictive".

She is right, there are other ways. But road signs are everywhere and to me are the best way to get the language out. In my view, there is no excuse not to make them bilingual.

Having bilingual signs is a great way to showcase the region's cultural and tourism offerings while also educating visitors.

We are meant to be a bilingual country and putting te reo on road signs is an easy way to show it.