TO PRESERVE MAORI

New Zealand Listener, Volume 4, Issue 85, 7 February 1941, Page 10

TO PRESERVE MAORI

Sir,-Your excellent publication presents to its readers subject matter of wide cultural appeal. Might I suggest that some space be devoted to the study of the Maori language? As you are probably aware, Maori conversation is sternly banned in our native schools. Instead of encouraging our Maori boys and girls to grow up to be bi-lingual, our authorities seem to be determined to stamp out the language of "Nga tamariki," And how well these authorities have succeeded is beyond question! There are to-day hundreds of Maori children who are unable to speak or understand the language of their fathers. In fact, they are ashamed to use it-truly deplorable state of affairs. Maori parents are by no means wholly blameless, They are often careless and indifferent as to whether their children talk Maori properly, and indeed often discourage the use of the language in their homes. It is incumbent on us then as citizens to do our best to revive a language which is rapidly dying out. With the exception of that fine scholarly publication, "Te Waka Karaitiana," there is not, as far as I know, any periodical that devotes itself in the smallest degree to furthering the cause

of the Maori language. But in many of the Scottish papers a " Gaelic Column" is regularly published. A brief " Maori Column" in The Listener would confer on the Maori race a truly unestimable boon.

RORE TE MAKAREI

(Owhango).