[EDLING:938] Labour: Speak Maori properly

[Francis M Hult]

By way of lg-policy...

> Labour - speak Maori properly
> >From the New Zealand Herald
> 
> 27.08.05
> 
> By Jon Stokes
> 
> All student teachers will have to prove they can pronounce Maori in order
> to graduate, under Labour's Maori policy launched yesterday. The proposal
> to "ensure all teachers demonstrate competency in reo-a-waha enunciation
> and pronunciation" is among the policy proposals put forward by Prime
> Minster Helen Clark and Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia in
> Hamilton. Mr Horomia said it was important teachers set an example for the
> country's children, one in four of whom were Maori.
> 
> "Maori is an official language of this country but many people don't make
> an effort to pronounce Maori correctly. Teachers teach our kids a lot of
> things, from Shakespeare to poetry - what is the difference in teaching
> how to pronounce people's names and Maori correctly?" Mr Horomia conceded
> that not all politicians provided a good model - "both sides of the House
> struggle with pronunciation".
> 
> He said it was inevitable the issue would rankle with some people.
> National's Maori affairs spokesman, Gerry Brownlee, said he was staggered
> by Labour's plan. "It is almost pathetic. This is politically correct
> tokenism. I hope the Prime Minister is taking some lessons. I have heard
> her butcher and mangle pronunciation herself."
> 
> Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples supported moves to compel teachers to
> pronounce Maori accurately, and called for the Government to go further.
> "It is a start but what about members of Parliament?" It was time all MPs
> showed respect for an official New Zealand language and for Maori by
> speaking te reo correctly. Entertainer Sir Howard Morrison said he was not
> in favour of anything "enforced", but would be disappointed if the average
> New Zealander did not recognise te reo as an official language.
> 
> "Many, many a time I've found people who have mangled words and place
> names on TV and radio. Nothing's that difficult to learn - there's only
> five vowels for goodness sake," Sir Howard said. Maori was made an
> official language 15 years ago. Some 160,000 people are estimated to
> understand or speak it to some extent. Dr John Langley, dean of the
> education faculty at the University of Auckland, said he believed all
> children should be taught Maori in schools and this would be the first
> step towards achieving that.
> 
> "I'm sure it would put people off [becoming teachers] but progress is not
> made on the basis of public opinion." Other proposals included supporting
> Maori organisational governance courses, more support for Maori tourism,
> and entrepreneurs. Labour will also review the Crown Forestry Rental
> Trust. Mr Horomia also repeated an announcement of aiming for a Treaty of
> Waitangi claims deadline of 2020
> 
> http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10342696