A letter to the people of Northland

Kia ora. The way the people of Te Tai Tokerau celebrated the Ma¯ ori language this year and kicked off Te Wiki o te Reo Ma¯ ori is perfectly described by the proverb, “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata”, “What is the greatest thing of all? It is people, it is people, it is people”.

That is because everyday people across the region supported our national language in so many ways. We know some of New Zealand’s biggest companies and organisations, right down to some of the smallest were with us. People of all ages took to the streets of Whanga¯ rei to march in our parade or h¯ıkoi whakangahau organised by Whanga¯ rei Girls’ High School. We know locals from all walks of life and across Te Tai Tokerau — teachers, students, librarians, cafe owners, journalists — were celebrating Ma¯ ori language in some way. A huge mihi to the students at WGHS. On behalf of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Ma¯ ori, the Ma¯ ori Language Commission: I would like to express our sincere thanks to this paper and all the people who embodied our theme for 2019: Kia Kaha te Reo Ma¯ ori.

This year more than 20,000 New Zealanders took part in our language parades across Aotearoa. Online, we engaged with more than 3 million people. We would like to thank everyone but need your help to find them. If you or someone you know organised a Ma¯ ori Language Week event, please let us know by emailing us at: info@tetaurawhiri.govt.nz.

Our Nga¯ Tohu Reo Ma¯ori Awards (Ma¯ ori Language Awards) will be open for entries in the next week and we encourage Northland people to enter, you can find out how on our website: www.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz We know people who learn te reo Ma¯ ori find it easier to learn other languages: these are the kinds of skills our children will need in the growing, global economy. This year is the International Year of Indigenous Languages and I am proud to be able to report that here in our country, millions of us are supporting our first language. Being world leaders, begins in our towns, communities, schools and homes. New Zealand is the tu¯ rangawaewae, the home of the Ma¯ ori language. It is something for all of us to celebrate as part of our unique identity. We have gone from protest to parade in a single generation, I am hugely excited about what the next generation will bring.

Kia Kaha te Reo Ma¯ ori!

Professor Rawinia Higgins Ma¯ ori Language Commissioner

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Ma¯ ori

First job for Okara

Where are the wider bridge walkways? Firstly I must say that the wide Whangarei to Onerahi walkway/cycleway is one of the best things the Whangarei District Council has completed. When first constructed the question about widening the three bridge walkway attachments was answered by the council that they needed to wait two years for the ground to settle.

It has now been well over two years and I would be interested to know when the widened bridge walkways will be attached as these are bottlenecks when events involving the walkway are held.

While at it, the overgrown weeds between the road and walkway are not a good look, they need to be removed to return this great facility to its previous good-looking state.

Maybe this could be the first point of action for the recently elected Okara Ward councillors

Peter Noone

Onerahi

Abortion is . . .

This was written on a placard in a magazine I was reading recently. “Abortion is:

■ human right ■ a constitutional right

■ a personal choice

■ health care

■ life saving

■ gender equality

■ owning your own body

■ not a crime

■ not up for debate”

Some people believe women should be made to go through with unplanned/unwanted pregnancies.

Either we have safe, legal abortions (under healthcare), or women will find other measures to terminate their pregnancy. Do we really want to go back to those days?

G Bicknell Whangarei