14–20 o Mahuru 2025
This week marks the 50th anniversary of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week). What began as a single Māori Language Day in 1972 had, by 1975, already grown into a full week dedicated to te Reo Māori. This week provides a special opportunity to celebrate its place in our bilcultural identity.
This year, Te Wiki runs from 14–20 September. The name most often used and recognised for September in official contexts is Hepetema, but did you know that this is a modern transliteration, rather than translation? The name which more closely aligns with September is in fact Mahuru — the fourth lunar month of the Māori year.
For organisations, Te Wiki is more than a chance to say “kia ora” in emails. It’s a reminder that equity, inclusion and diversity should go deeper than surface-level gestures. Real inclusion means weaving te Reo — and the values it embodies — into the everyday life of your workplace. There are so many ways in which we could create space for te Reo to thrive, for example, leaders modelling te Reo in hui, bilingual signage and communications, providing kaimahi (staff) with time and support to attend te Reo classes during work hours, and celebrating te Reo milestones just as you would do any other professional achievements.
So, this Mahuru, let’s ask not only, “What kupu can I use?”, but, “How can we make space for te Reo to flourish every day throughout the year?”
