Te Reo Māori is great passion of mine and I am always looking out for opportunities to learn new facets of this unique language. Fortunately during these changing times, a number of new online Te Reo resources have popped up as a feast for us ākonga reo (Reo learners). The levels range from absolute beginner through to Kura Kaupapa content and so allows anyone on the journey to take part. Have a look at the list below and take this opportunity to come out of your bubble with your Reo on lockdown!
Te Aka Online Māori Dictionary
OK, I lied! This one hasn’t popped up recently, but will be immensely helpful combined with the other resources. This online dictionary takes any Māori or English kupu (word) and gives back a range of translations and definitions. It also gives contextual examples from original text; so you know it’s legit. These examples also help you get the correct kupu as you often get a variety to choose from and concepts don’t always translate exactly from one language to another. The icing on the cake is that many kupu come with a sound file so you can hear the correct pronunciation – ka rawe!
Phrase of the day with Hēmi Kelly
Alright, first new lockdown resource. Hēmi Kelly is a lecturer in Te Reo Māori at AUT and also the author of a recent published book called A Māori Phrase a Day: 365 Phrases to Kickstart Your Reo. This book is a fantastic resource on its own, but since the the lockdown Hēmi has been gifting us some further insight into the most useful kīanga (phrases) it holds. He shares a video each day focusing on a kīanga / saying, expanding a bit on the grammar, adding in some new vocabulary and allowing us to hear the phrases in perfect pronunciation. It's the perfect resource for dipping in and seeing how far you would like to go!
Watch Hēmi Kelly's videos.
Toro mai
This free online course produced by Massey University along with the Morrison whānau is a great first step in learning Te Reo. It is adapted from an online NZSL learning platform (learnNZSL.nz) and uses a variety of multimedia to introduce Te Reo in everyday situations. Each section introduces a new context and goes through sections of words, phrases and conversational listening practice. There is also a separate Tikanga (Māori customs) course that you can complete under the same platform. They both take approximately 10 hours to complete. Register for FREE.
Do Māori Made Easy with Me
Editor of Ātea at The Spinoff Leonie Hayden has taken up the challenge of stepping through Scotty Morrison’s Māori Made Easy Te Reo course. This book is set out with 30 minute daily lessons spread over thirty weeks and Leonie is sharing her first four of those weeks. This will cover the topics of Pronunciation, Numbers, Greeting and farewelling People/Asking where someone is going and Action Phrases, but the best part is that you also get a friend to join you on the journey. It would be ideal if you have a copy of the book to hand, but you will still pick up something if can stay focused with a pad and pen. You can see all of Leonie’s videos on The Spinoff website.
Kura mō ngā Mokopuna
This is one of my personal favourites to have come out in the last few weeks. It is essentially a platform for Kura Kaupapa Māori students to be able to continue learning from home during the lockdown period. Different tāngata rongonui, tohunga and kaiako go live on Facebook and share their skills and knowledge of a particular subject. This has included things like waiata with Leon Blake, learning about te taiao with Rangi Matamua and even rugby skills with Nehe Milne-Skudder. There is also pānui pukapuka / reading books, pūrākau / stories, ako karakia / learning prayers as well as crafts and games to try at home. Best of all it is delivered in the most beautiful and authentic Te Reo Māori you will find. There is a weekly schedule for when the sessions go live, but you can also watch the videos in your own time.
So there you have it. My Reo picks of the lockdown. Are you ready to pick up the mānuka?
Find Te Reo learning eBooks in our collection
- Māori at Work Scotty and Stacey Morrison
- Māori at Home Scotty and Stacey Morrison
- English Maori, Maori English Dictionary Bruce Biggs
- Let's Learn Maori Bruce Biggs
- The Raupō Phrasebook of Modern Māori Scotty Morrison
- The Raupō Concise Māori Dictionary A. W. Reed
- A Māori Phrase a Day Hēmi Kelly
Damien ‘Tīhore’ Taylor
Youth Librarian
Tūranga
Add a comment to: Te Reo Māori on Lockdown