Should Rotorua become a bilingual city?

Rotorua could see bilingual street signs as part of the change. Photo/File

Imagine a situation where two peoples, two societies come together to form a unique arrangement.

Where they reach an agreement and through that agreement, bind themselves to each other and are unified under that agreement.

They agree to take care of each other, to share this land and live with and upon it - together.

They agree to develop and fulfil both their common and uniquely uncommon aspirations in a way that is underpinned by a duty of care to the other.

That such an agreement would exist far beyond their own lifetimes and would be inherited by future generations - for good and for bad - and that was outlined in the agreement would be living, future-focused and indeed, the building blocks of a nation and identity we would all eventually come to call home.

To my countrymen and women I ask;

"Is this you New Zealand?"

Because if it is, ask yourself now the question:

"Should Rotorua be a bilingual city?"

Te reo Maori

Tena whakaarohia te tauira e haere nei!

E rua nga iwi, a, kei aua iwi tonu o ratou ake kawa me o ratou ake tikanga.

Ka whakaae mai raua kia whakawhaiti kia kotahi, he whakatutuki i te hanganga mai o tetehi whakaritenga noho tahi te take.

Raua ki a raua, ka whitikina nga taura here o te kupu whakaae kia whakamau ai kia tina.

He tohatoha i te whenua me ona hua maha te mea nui, a, kia kotahi atu te noho ki te whenua e whakaora nei i a tatou katoa.

Na reira, ka whakaae tahi rāua kia āhuru te noho - tetehi ki tetehi.

Ka whakaae hoki raua kia watea, kia pakari te whaiwhai i ta raua e wawatatia nei, a, kia tautoko raua i a raua, ahakoa te rite, te rereke ranei o aua wawata tonu.

Ko te hao o te taura herenga tangata e here nei i te tupu ngatahi o nga iwi e rua - ka mau tonu.

He mohio hoki no tenei hunga, ko nga ki taurangi ka oatingia ki nga mana o Tuawhakarere, he mana toitu, tu te ao, tu te po.

Ahakoa te pai, te kino ranei, ka heke tonu, ka heke tonu ki ngawhakatupuranga hei tikitiki mo o ratou mahunga.

Ka whakatakotoria te kaupapa kia pumau te aro whakamua ki ngarao apopo, a, kia whai reo, kia whai oranga te whakaritenga nei i roto i nga matapono o te aro ki tua ote pae tawhiti.

Ko te ao tenei kua whakakaingatiatatou katoa hei Hawaiki-tautau, hei Hawaiki-herehere.

Na, ko taku patai ki oku iwi ake;

"Aotearoa, ko koe tenei e korerohia nei?"

Mena e whakapae ana koe ko koe tenei, whakaarohia te patai:

"Me reo rua te taone nei o Rotorua?"

Ngaa Rauuira Pumanawawhiti is the cultural market manager at the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. He has a passion for indigenous New Zealand and hopes to take Maori people and culture to the world.