Exploring goals and motivations of Māori heritage language learners

Motivations of Māori heritage language learners are explored within this qualitative study. Te reo Māori (the Māori language) is currently classed as endangered (Reedy et al., 2011), which calls for the exploration of the motivational experiences of Māori heritage language learners. A total of 19 interviews with beginner, intermediate and advanced level learners were conducted. Results demonstrated how Māori heritage learners were motivated to learn due to their cultural heritage connection to the language and to other ingroup members. This study explores some of the motivations why Māori heritage language learners learn te reo Māori. For this group of indigenous language learners, cultural and language revitalisation are tied to language motivation. Furthermore, the ability to participate in cultural practices was central to language motivations

Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei: Establishing psychological foundations for higher levels of Māori language proficiency

This thesis explores the motivations, enablers and inhibitors that occur for heritage language (HL2) learners of te reo Māori. Rather than applying commonly used integrative/instrumental or intrinsic/extrinsic dichotomies (Gardner, 2007), a relational framework for language motivation was applied as Māori are typically represented as being interdependent/collectivist (Durie, 2001). In interdependent cultures, the self is given meaning through relationships with significant others (Brewer & Chen, 2007) and the boundaries of personal goals and the goals of a group/significant others are less distinct (Markus & Kitayama, 1991). It was predicted that HL2 learners would be motivated to learn te reo Māori in response to the relationships they held with significant others, and that these relationships with significant others would enable learners to reach higher levels of language attainment. The investment language-learners received from peers and mentors was expected to contribute positively to the learning process. Thus, a relational and interdependent approach to Māori HL2 learning is articulated. A mixed methods approach was applied to examine the variety of motivations, enablers and inhibitors associated with HL2 learning. Qualitative aspects of the research involved two groups of language-learners. Undergraduate students (beginner to intermediate level language-learners) enrolled in language courses at Victoria University of Wellington participated as well as advanced level learners who were graduates of Te Panekiretanga o te reo Māori. All participants in the qualitative aspects of the study identified as Māori HL2 learners. The quantitative components included both Māori and non-Māori undergraduate students who were predominantly 100 level learners from Victoria University of Wellington. Findings revealed that Māori HL2 learners were motivated to learn the language due to relationships they held with specific significant others. Responsibilities provided significant motivation for language improvement at higher levels. The relationship between te reo Māori and identity was prominent. Societal factors impacted on both Māori and Pākehā learners separately. For instance, Māori were less likely to instigate learning te reo Māori when they were embedded in environments that were discriminatory toward Māori. Quantitative results supported qualitative findings, whereby Pākehā learners who perceived Māori to be negatively discriminated against by the mainstream experienced high levels of language anxiety. Survey data indicated that Māori HL2 learners were more tenacious, and less disorganised with their language studies when they had language community support, and were engaged with other Māori. Findings from this study led to the development of Te Mauri ka Tau, a model that attempts to describe the factors that are necessary to create a psychological platform from which Māori HL2 learners can seek empowerment during times of potential risk. This model also describes the multiple positive outcomes for HL2 learners who reach this psychological space. This study was designed to provide an indigenous perspective to the highly emotional process of HL2 learning. The journey for Māori HL2 learners is complex and relationally interdependent. Through an improved understanding of HL2 learner experiences, the wider goals of language revitalisation can be achieved

He whānau reo Māori: Me pēwhea rā? A literature review prepared for Te Mātāwai

This review of literature provides an a summary of some of the issues impacting on whānau who are choosing to raise their tamariki in te reo Māori. The review focuses on literature that was produced from approximately 2004, and is directly focused on the experiences of Māori who attempting to include te reo Māori as their main language of the home. This report has been sectioned into three main parts, including factors relevant to parents and caregiver, factors relevant to children, and some general themes that might be relevant for whānau. Within the section related to mātua, the literature demonstrates that if te reo Māori is to be a language of intergenerational transmission, parents (and adults within the household) must be committed to Māori language acquisition and use, and persistent in reinstating that language is to be used as the main language of the home. Findings also indicate that parents have lower levels of Māori language use prior to the birth of a child. Parents who are attempting to raise Māori speaking children may struggle if they themselves have a limited grasp of te reo. Challenges arise after children are born, as parents report having less time and resources to attend classes. Strategies need to be adapted to ensure that parents are supported to attain te reo prior to the arrival of the child. However, as the child provides motivation and a domain for use, it is not surprising that te reo use increases in homes with children

He oranga wai, he oranga whakapapa: Critical change in the health of the awa through Kaupapa Maori-led Kaitiakitanga practices

After generations of harmful exploitative environmental practices that have resulted from large scale land confiscations by the Crown (Baker, 2013; Waitangi Tribunal, 2011), the health of our awa in the Waikato has substantially deteriorated. Ngāti Maniapoto kaumātua indicate that the mauri of the awa is directly related to the oranga of the iwi. Ko te wai te toto o te whenua, water is the blood of the land. The land is the mauri of the people, keeps the people alive. If the water goes bad, the land goes… bad, the people die. (Iwi representative, Parsons, Fisher, & Crease, 2021). As tangata whenua, our waterways are interconnected with our oranga in a multiplicity of ways. Pūniu River Care Inc. (PRC) is an incorporated society that is contributing to the restoration of the Pūniu awa. During the time that this report was written, the commercial arm of the organisation was still in the development phase. Therefore, this review has not explored the commercial aspects that PRC has since developed. This study explores some of PRC’s practices with the aim of demonstrating how this kaupapa Māori-led organisation has been successful in improving the health of the awa, and achieving the cultural aspirations of the organisation, which include supporting the wellbeing of the marae and hapū that PRC are derived from

Ko te awa kia rere; ko te iwi kia ora: A study of the cultural and social impacts of Pūniu River Care

In March 2021, individuals who had whakapapa connections to Mangatoatoa and Ngāti Maniapoto and were academics from Te Herenga Waka: Victoria University of Wellington were approached to undertake a study that explored the social and cultural outcomes that have been achieved by the approach taken by Pūniu River Care. The overarching goal of this study was to understand how having a marae-based organisation who are tasked with improving the health and wellbeing of our tupuna awa also impacted on the health and wellbeing of the kaitiaki and those who interact with PRC