The designer of a Maori language keyboard, Dennis Gray, is one of five local finalists in the Maori Language Awards.
Finalists for the awards have been announced, with businesses, education institutes, government departments, organisations and community groups nominated for their input into promoting and preserving te reo Maori. There are30 finalists in 15 categories.
Local finalists include Maori Language Keyboards, Rotorua District Library, Te Runanga o Ngati Whakaue ki Maketu, Tokoroa High School and the Waiariki Institute of Technology. Mr Gray said he was "over the moon" about being a finalist for the information technology and communications category.
"It's recognition for something that I've done. I'm absolutely over the moon about the whole business. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy and it will give the recognition the product deserves."
He said he aspires to have his keyboards, which feature a regular QWERTY layout in large print and letters used in the Maori language highlighted in red, in all schools, libraries and council departments.
"It's a resource, people can type in both languages.
"I want to make a difference, it's the legacy I've left this country. When I went through major health problems, fighting cancer, I came up with this idea and it lifted me up off the ground and I persevered with it," he said.
Mr Gray said it would help New Zealanders learn the Maori language more easily and would make a difference to education. His next move was to create a similar keyboard for touch screen devices.
Maori Language Commission chief executive Glenis Philip-Barbara said the finalists' support for the Maori language was a "powerful demonstration" of what was needed all over Aotearoa.
Winners will be announced in Tauranga on November 16.
