The emotional toll of learning te reo Māori: 'It's OK to be a learner'
Learning the Māori language can be an emotionally taxing journey due to the historical trauma associated with colonization and the loss of language across generations. Experts suggest that creating supportive, shame-free environments is essential for learners to succeed.
Why it matters
Understanding the psychological barriers to language reclamation is crucial for cultural preservation and social healing efforts.
<p>While this year’s theme for Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) is about celebrating communities that have kept te reo Māori alive, for individuals, the language learning and reclamation journey can take an emotional toll that holds many people back.</p> <p>Te Reo Māori academic and researcher Dr Awanui Te Huia told Breakfast that when someone is at a point where they can take the time and invest resources into learning the language, oftentimes there are emotional responses that take place for that that person they might not anticipate.</p> <p>“These are emotional responses to understanding history, understanding the breakdown of language, how that happens over generations, and what was some of the causes of those breakdowns,” she said.
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