Our Māori language is so beautiful. It is conceptual and meaningful and every word tells a story. One word can mean many things and within all of those meanings, there is connection to the environment, to the land, to everything…

When I started learning Māori full immersion, my life changed. I saw the world in a whole new way. My Māori eyes were seeing things that I did not think existed. I was no longer locked behind my pakeha eyes that could only see what was right in front of me.

But my Māori eyes, they could see far off into the distance, to the tallest maunga, down the flowing rivers over the landscape and out to sea and then up to the sky and the whole of the universe and back again…my Māori eyes could see deep into the past, they are forever alert in the present and they see many lifetimes into the future…
I try to imagine my life without my Māori eyes and think about what people are missing out on. Is my Māori language the only language that sees in this way? Because if it is, and I didn’t know my language, I would be doing everything in my power to learn it.
I cannot imagine life without it now, my life is richer, clearer and more meaningful and when expressing myself there is no need to waffle on, to justify and explain everything in detail, all I need sometimes are a few words and at other times, only one…
Arohanui,
Jo x