Rotorua's Maori language computer keyboard

A pair of innovative Rotorua businessmen have come up with a world first - all in time for Maori Language Week.
Rotorua's Dennis Gray and his business partner Jay Bocock have produced the first te reo Maori keyboard.
Mr Gray successfully launched his Big Print Keyboard in May this year and the new te reo Maori keyboard is based on the same design with large, illuminated keys designed to reduce eye-strain and improve posture.
The te reo Maori keyboard has all of the letters in the Maori alphabet illuminated in a different colour and has one-touch access to all the vowels and macrons found in the language with a one touch option for touch typists. It also has separate keys for "wh" and "ng".
This week is Maori Language Week with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori (The Maori Language Commission) choosing "manaakitanga" as the theme for 2011.
Manaakitanga means to care for, entertain and show respect and is the essence of Maori hospitality.
"While learning te reo Maori we wanted to use correct Maori names and forms of address but had trouble with the macrons. We discovered you can use a complex set of key strokes and special characters, which was just too hard," Mr Bocock said.
Maori Language Commission chief executive Glenis Philip-Barbara said the mix and range of initiatives that Maori Language Week threw up continued to amaze her.
"Maori Language Week offers many Maori language advocates and practitioners the opportunity to showcase initiatives which support language revitalisation.
"Of particular interest to us ... are the initiatives which increase accessibility to the language and promote use."
Mr Gray said he thought his Big Print Keyboard could be easily adapted for use with te reo Maori.
"We did it out of respect for the language as well, it's an everyday keyboard for all New Zealanders and it's nice it comes out of Rotorua too."
Mr Gray said the next step would be to market and promote the keyboard that he said would be extremely useful in schools, kura kaupapa, government organisations and in private homes.
For more information visit www.maorilanguagekeyboard.co.nz or call (07) 349 0480.
 
Pepeha/Phrases
No Rotorua ahau - I am from Rotorua
I whea koe tupu ake ai? - Where did you grow up?


Whakatauki/Proverb:
Ma te tini, ma mano, ka rapa te whai - By many, by thousands, the work will be accomplished (Many hands make light work)