Ko te reo te mauri o te mana Māori: Reclaiming mātauranga, identity and the future of our people

Abstract

This lecture offers a glimpse into research into te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and kapa haka. It presents te reo as the root of tikanga, tikanga as the foundation of mātauranga Māori, and kapa haka as the vehicle through which this knowledge is brought to life.

More than a language, te reo is the mauri through which all people can understand the Māori worldview and deepen their appreciation of Aotearoa, the ancestral homeland, Māori have shared with all who now call it home.

Through kapa haka, whakapapa, histories, values, belief systems, iwitanga and ancestral knowledge are expressed, revitalised and transmitted, connecting the hunga mate with te hunga mate and carrying Māoritanga, identity, knowledge and aspirations forward for future generations.

“He uri nō te Raupatu, he toa nō te Rauora!” (Te Arikinui Kuini Ngā Wai hono i te pō, 2026).