Celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022 (Māori Language Week) with TVNZ and enjoy a raft of new and existing hōtaka (programmes). From dedicated storytelling in te reo Māori on Shortland Street, to compelling documentaries and tamariki programming, Te Reo Tātaki (TVNZ) wants to help get Kiwis speaking te reo Māori this September.
This Māori Language Week is extra special as 14 September marks the 50th anniversary of the Māori Language Petition, which asked for active recognition of te reo Māori in Aotearoa. TVNZ is proud to support the kaupapa of both Māori language and culture, with an ongoing commitment today and into the future.
Te reo Māori has always been part of the Shortland Street world and continuing with this tradition, New Zealand’s longest running drama series will once again celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022 by fully integrating the language into each episode over the course of the week.
Shortland Street will tell a complete story predominantly in te reo Māori during the episodes airing on TVNZ 2 between Monday 12 and Friday 16 September when TK (Ben Mitchell) comes face to face with a mystery woman who reveals the shocking truth about his origins. (Weekdays, 7pm, TVNZ 2)
Over on TVNZ 1, made to coincide with and celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Māori language petition being presented on the steps of Parliament in 1972, Speak No Māori unpacks the history of te reo Māori in Aotearoa. This fascinating, illuminating documentary explores the enduring vitality of a language that was suppressed for generations. (Tuesday 13 September, 8.40pm, TVNZ 1)
Tamariki can immerse themselves in TVNZ 2’s The Feed as hosts Ronnie and Mon interview well-known Māori content creators, musicians, athletes and politicians, including broadcaster Stacey Morrison, the Black Ferns’ Tyla Nathan-Wong and TikTok star Te Aorere Pewhairangi. (Weekdays, 3.30pm – 5pm, TVNZ 2)
Kiwi tamariki fluent in te reo Māori––and those eager to learn––are also given the opportunity to celebrate our native language with a week of half-hour specials of Brain Busters. Host Chris Kirk and guest presenter, Sonny Ngatai, will put contestants through a series of escalating rounds in te reo Māori, before taking on the ultimate test of smarts and stamina, the Brain Buster. (Weekdays, 4.30pm, TVNZ 2)
Viewers are also encouraged to explore an extensive collection of brand-new shows on TVNZ+ that explore te ao Māori, as well as enjoy an existing slate of drama, entertainment and documentaries that are unique to Aotearoa.
The compelling second season of Waiata Anthems follows major Kiwi artists on their journey to either produce a brand-new track or re-record one of their biggest hits in te reo Māori. Powerful and profound, the documentary series features superstars Lorde and Tim Finn, local favourites Kora and Barnaby Weir, plus new voices in the pop music world, Mikey Dam and Paige as they share a personal journey of intimate interviews, performance and waiata. (Available now, TVNZ+)
Owen Boynton travels across Aotearoa in Toa Hunter Gatherer (seasons 1-3), recapturing the knowledge and skills of hunting and bush-craft with a focus on sustainability, meeting with like-minded kaitiaki and outdoor experts. (Monday 12 September, 8am, TVNZ+)
Chatham Islanders explores the community, the history, the isolation and the connection of life on the remote Chatham Islands, where the land and sea govern the day to day lives of the inhabitants. (Monday 12 September, 8am, TVNZ+)
Home, Land & Sea showcases Māori success within the greater farming sector. The 10-part series offers an interesting and educational insight into the world of farming and showcases whānau, hapū and iwi enterprises that are putting Māori on the map. (Monday 12 September, 8am, TVNZ+)
Ake, Ake, Ake is an emotive, powerful, and at times confronting three-part documentary series that revisits the events surrounding the historic Ihumātao occupation, through the voices of the cousins intimately involved in the actions that took place.
Head over to TVNZ+ to also enjoy shows such as The Walkers, Hongi to Hāngī: And Everything In Between, The Casketeers, Aroha Nui: Say I Do, Origins, Vegas, National Treasures, Stan Walker: Impossible Live, My Māori Midwife, East Coast Rising, Te Karere, Marae, Waka Huia, Colonial Combat, The Dead Lands, Kairākau and I Date Rejects.
TVNZ’s news and current affairs teams will release stories, content and resources on air and online across the week to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022.
This year, Te Reo Tātaki celebrates our critical role in normalising and showcasing te reo Māori, championing the legacy of those who have gone before us to whakamana the Māori language and culture. Marketing promotions will run across all channels and platforms, celebrating 50 years of being on the journey of Māori language revival.
Join in the conversation for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022 from Monday 12 – Friday 18 September 2022.
TVNZ’s compelling line-up of hōtaka is only made possible by the continued support from our funding partners, Te Māngai Pāho and NZ On Air.
E rima ngahuru tau te tūāoma. Whakanuia Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022
On the journey with you for 50 years. Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori 2022