THE Maori Language Commission wants to see social media swamped with Maori language tweets and messages for Te Wiki o te Reo Maori using the hashtag #tekupu.
"Social media is a new frontier for Maori language use. Maori language speakers encourage others when they use te reo Maori as their default language for tweeting and messaging," says Pita Paraone, acting chief executive for the commission.
"Research tells us that tweeting and messaging online in the target language is an important means of connecting with the next generation of Maori language speakers."
When people tweet and message in Maori, others are more likely to respond in Maori too.
Learners and speakers can use more Maori online by writing pepeha, mihi, stories, updates, lyrics and jokes.
In preparation for Te Wiki o te Reo Maori, the commission confirms the following social media terms in Maori:
Tweet Thau
Twitter Pae thau (the platform for tweeting)
Facebook Pukamata
Instagram Paeahua
Vine Te Aka
Hashtag - Tohumarau
The commission is also calling on businesses, broadcasters, entertainers, sports players and politicians to join the social media conversation in te reo Maori.
Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori will launch Te Kupu o te Wiki. This is a 50-week campaign.
Maori version:
E hiahia ana Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori kia muia nga pae papaho papori e te tihau, me te karere reo Maori mo Te Wiki o te Reo Maori ma te whakamahi i te tohumarau #tekupu.
Hei ta Pita Paraone, te Tumuaki Kairiwhi mo Te Komihana, "He waka hou nga pae papaho papori mo te reo Maori. Ina tihau, ina tuku karere te hunga korero Maori ki te reo Maori, he whakahau tenei i etahi atu kia penei ano."
E ai ki nga korero rangahau he mea tino nui te tihau me te tuku karere a-ipurangi nei ki tetahi reo motuhake, he ara hoki tenei e hono atu ai te hunga korero Maori ki te reanga o muri mai.
Ina tihau, ina tuku karere te tangata ki te reo Maori, tera tonu e pera ano ai etahi atu.
Kia kaha ake te tuhi a te hunga ako, te hunga korero Maori i te pepeha, i te mihi, i te pakiwaitara, i te korero hou,
i te waiata, i te korero paki ki te reo Maori. Kua tata nei ki Te Wiki o te Reo Maori, e whakau ana Te Taura Whiri i etahi kupu Maori mo nga pae papaho papori.
Tihau-Tweet
Pae Tihau-Twitter
Pukamata-Facebook
Paeahua-Instagram
Te Aka -Vine
Tohumarau - Hashtag
E whakahau ana Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori kia tahuri ake nga pakihi, nga reo papaho, nga kaiwhakangahau, nga kaitakaro me nga kaitorangapu ki te korero Maori i nga pae papaho papori.
Ka whakaterea ano Te Kupu o te Wiki. Ka 50 wiki te roa e whai ana kia akona e Aotearoa nui tonu etahi kupu e 50.