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<div class="gmail-wrapper gmail-clearfix gmail-full gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-header" id="gmail-f0nJ3tIlZcPnOq"><header class="gmail-article-header gmail-photo-lead"><figure><div class="gmail-text-wrapper"><h1> Maori food trucks and English-free signs suggested for Wellington to be Te Reo capital </h1> <div class="gmail-publish"> 3 May, 2018 2:11pm <div class="gmail-read-time"> <span class="gmail-clock-pic gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-clock-icon-9e9f9f"></span> 3 minutes to read </div> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-header-image-wrapper"> <img id="gmail-" class="gmail-responsively-lazy gmail-desktop gmail-loaded" alt="Te reo toilet. Photo / Peter de Graaf" src="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/-JSWi6zRk_F5PBIY_Les5LsU8Z4=/620x349/smart/filters:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-syd-prod-nzme.s3.amazonaws.com/public/MBHDQMYTSBFSJPPEIWFSKRSIQM.jpg"> </div> <figcaption class="gmail-closed">Te reo toilet. Photo / Peter de Graaf</figcaption> </figure> </header> </div> <div class="gmail-wrapper gmail-clearfix gmail-full gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-slimline-byline" id="gmail-fi289T1lZcPnOq"> <div class="gmail-byline gmail-default-border gmail-bio-with-share gmail-has-author"> <div class="gmail-author-name"> <span class="gmail-author gmail-author-space"> <div class="gmail-bio-text"> <span class="gmail-author"> <a href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/author/melissa-nightingale/"> By: <span class="gmail-section-national-color gmail-author-title">Melissa Nightingale</span> </a> </span> <div class="gmail-author-bio">NZ Herald reporter based in Wellington</div> <a class="gmail-author-attr" href="mailto:melissa.nightingale@nzherald.co.nz">melissa.nightingale@nzherald.co.nz</a> <a class="gmail-author-attr" href="https://www.twitter.com/@melissa_wishart">@melissa_wishart</a> </div></span> </div> <div class="gmail-byline-shares-wrapper"> <div class="gmail-byline-shares"> <div class="gmail-utility-tools"> </div> <div class="gmail-social-tools"> <a class="email gmail-tool gmail-first gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-email-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><a class="gmail-facebook gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-facebook-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><a class="gmail-twitter gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-twitter-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><a class="gmail-share-container gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-share-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><a class="gmail-bookmark gmail-tool gmail-last gmail-not-alone gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-bookmark-icon gmail-section-national" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><div class="gmail-hidden-shares extra-shares"> <div class="extra-share-wrapper"> <div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-facebook gmail-tool gmail-first gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-facebook-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-twitter gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-twitter-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="email gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-email-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-linkedin gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-linkedin-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-google-plus gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-googleplus-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-whatsapp gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-whatsapp-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-pinterest gmail-tool gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-pinterest-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div><div class="gmail-icon-wrapper"> <a class="gmail-reddit gmail-tool gmail-last gmail-share-button gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-reddit-icon" tabindex="_tbidx_"> </a><span class="gmail-icon-name"></span> </div> </div> <span class="gmail-share-close gmail-svg-bg gmail-svg-close-icon-white"></span> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-clear"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="gmail-wrapper gmail-clearfix gmail-full gmail-pb-feature gmail-pb-layout-item gmail-pb-f-article-body" id="gmail-f9Tx5u1lZcPnOq"> <div id="gmail-article-body" class="gmail-article-body gmail-article-body-elements"> <div id="gmail-article-content"> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Removing English words from signage where possible and getting Maori
food trucks out on the streets are some of the ideas raised for making
Wellington the Te Reo capital of New Zealand.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Wellington City Council is working to raise the status and use of the
language through its draft Te Reo Maori policy, Te Tauihu.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
At a City Strategy Committee meeting this morning, submitters expressed
their support for the policy and shared ideas on how to bring Te Reo
into wider use in the city.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Teri O'Neill from the youth council said public facilities such as
toilets could have Te Reo in their signage, and where possible the
English word should be removed and replaced with an icon.</p> <div class="gmail-ad-container gmail-has-text gmail-max-width-300 gmail-max-width-300" style="max-width:300px"> <div class="gmail-ad-text-before">Advertisement</div> <div id="gmail-ContentRect" class="gmail-pb-ad-container gmail-max-width-300 gmail-min-height-250 gmail-max-width-300" style="width:300px;height:250px;min-height:250px;max-width:300px"></div> <div class="gmail-ad-contact-text"><a href="https://advertising.nzme.co.nz/">Advertise with NZME.</a></div> </div> <div class="gmail-border-bottom-airy"></div> <p class="element element-paragraph">
She said the youth council also wanted to see community areas in
Wellington, such as Civic Square, be renamed, and new streets to be
given Maori names unless there was a good reason for another name.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Chairman of the youth council Brad Olsen also said Maori food trucks
would be another good way to spread appreciation of the culture.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "This policy is badly needed," Olsen said in the meeting.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "There is a lot of support for this and a lot of support for how to get this sort of policy working in a practical sense.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
"I'm not a Te Reo speaker by any imagination. It's something I find
quite uncomfortable to say stuff that I simply don't know the proper
pronunciation of."</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> Providing opportunities to learn and normalising the use of the language throughout the city would help with this, he said.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Chief executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori the Maori Language
Commission, Ngahiwi Apanui, said every New Zealander could regard the
language as theirs, and as "an integral part of our shared national
identity".</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "This policy's also a cool example of New Zealand trying to do the right thing," he said.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
"Fifteen per cent of the population isn't going to achieve the
revitalisation of Te Reo Maori on our own. This policy is not about
today ... it's actually about tomorrow. It's actually about our
grandchildren, our great grandchildren, and their children as well.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "I love Wellington, and this particular policy is a reason to love Wellington even more."</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> Member of the public Natasha Kuka also spoke to councillors, saying she began learning the language later in life.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "Through valuing and using language, we value the culture and identity of the people," she said.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
"I want my children to see Te Reo Maori being valued here. I want them
to have the option of speaking Maori or English as they navigate through
this city."</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> Victoria
University of Wellington lecturer Vincent Olsen-Reeder gave some
suggestions for the draft policy, saying it needed to focus not just on
the use of Te Reo within council, but also throughout the city.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "Everybody needs to see themselves in it."</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> He said the policy was "bold, assertive, and well-intended".</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> However there was "no clearly expressed goal". He suggested an example, that Wellington be a bilingual city by 2025.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> Olsen-Reeder said the policy should lay out a timeline for when goals should be reached by.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> "Make is really clear what is being achieved."</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> There could be an annual award for showing good use and raising the status of Te Reo Maori in society, he said.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph"> Council received 250 formal submissions on the policy as well as 263 postcard responses and a wide reach on social media.</p> <p class="element element-paragraph">
Following today's oral submissions, council officers will report to the
committee with a summary of the key themes for priority action, and a
final draft policy.</p> </div> </div> </div>
<br clear="all"><br>-- <br><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div>
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