How learning te reo Māori in her 70's transformed one Pākehā grandmother's view of Aotearoa
A 70-year-old New Zealander, Gael Finlayson-Davis, has become a symbol of cultural reconciliation after sharing her journey of learning the Māori language. Her story highlights the growing importance of te reo Māori in fostering national unity.
Why it matters
This reflects broader societal shifts toward indigenous language revitalization and cultural inclusivity in post-colonial nations.
Those are the kupu one Pākehā grandmother hopes will encourage more New Zealanders to take their first step toward te reo Māori and te ao Māori.
Gael Finlayson-Davis, grandmother of six and great-grandmother of two, now in her 70s, became an unexpected symbol of this year's Matariki celebrations after speaking through tears at the national hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau.
Matariki for everyone proves true at Takaparawhau
Her emotional kōrero, in which she described learning te reo Māori as part of her hope for "a better future for our country", resonated with thousands.
Although learning te reo is something she wishes she had embraced decades earlier, she hopes her story shows it is never too late.
"If I can do it in my 70s, anyone can," she told RNZ.
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