Elder's journey helped save a language

By RENEE KIRIONA

The man who led the fight for the Maori language to be recognised will unveil the plaque to mark the opening of Maori Television this Sunday.

Huirangi Waikerepuru will journey from his home in South Taranaki to the station's headquarters in Newmarket, out of respect for those who did not live to see the fruits of their work.

In 1985 the Taranaki elder, on behalf of Nga Kaiwhakapumau i te Reo (Wellington Maori Language Board), filed a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal to have Maori recognised as an official language.

"My being at the launch will be out of respect for the kuia and koroua [elderly women and men] who told the tribunal their stories of being punished at school for speaking their native tongue," he said.

"They were the ones who cried, who yelled telling their stories and who lived in that era of devastating history. They must not be forgotten."

From the 1880s the use of Maori at school was forbidden.

"By the early 20th century Maori were punished for speaking Maori at schools and by the 1920s only a few of the most enlightened private schools still taught Maori grammar as a school subject.

But out of the claim to the tribunal was born the Maori Language Act 1987, which paved the way for Maori language schools and the 22 iwi radio stations that now operate throughout the country.

"The launch of Maori Television is yet another milestone for us and our language," Mr Waikerepuru said.

While excited about Maori Television going to air, his hope was that the quality of te reo Maori be a priority.

"I hope the quality of Maori language will be monitored closely," he said.

"I know this will be very difficult because there is such a small pool of our people who have these skills.

"With the channel being bilingual I hope that we ensure our quality of the English language is just as good.

"This is because when we start losing respect for languages we start losing respect for the people who belong to them."