Te reo Ma¯ori and tokenism

East Coast electorate MP Kiritapu Allan apparently called out the “tokenistic” use of te reo Ma¯ori at the department where she was, until recently, the minister.

An email shared by a Conservation official claimed Allan did not want te reo used except in instances where there were no English equivalents.

The MP posted on social media that the email was “an incorrect articulation of any direction I’ve provided and is absolutely inaccurate”.

But she added that she would not “tolerate tokenistic use of reo” by government agencies as an attempt to show cultural competency.

Allan declined to speak with reporters to provide more clarification.

Her position appears to be another example of the tension that exists between advocates of our first language and the difficulties much of the population has with what is considered appropriate use.

What may be viewed as “tokenism” may well have come from a sincere and respectful intention to incorporate te reo.

Aotearoa New Zealand has come a long way in adopting much more te reo Ma¯ori in daily life.

Everyone who has made an effort to revive this once-endangered language should be embraced. Clumsiness and stuttering are better than no attempt at all.

Even faux pas, such as National leader Christopher Luxon sitting on a desk, can lead to a broader appreciation of te ao Ma¯ori and add to our understanding.

No, a few words don’t qualify an individual or agency as culturally competent but calling it out risks a worse result, a complete withdrawal from trying.

Adding a Ma¯ori word to an email signature or using Ma¯ori botanical terms may seem tokenistic to some but it all contributes to keeping te reo alive and relevant.

Ka pai?