Professor Scotty Morrison, Lisa Hansen and Professor Durie signing the Memorandum of Understanding at TVNZ.
Massey University is supporting TVNZ staff to learn te reo Māori following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding last week.
The agreement will see the University running weekly language classes for TVNZ staff.
Head of Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, School of Māori Knowledge Professor Meihana Durie says he has seen a change in mindset at some of the country’s largest companies, with the acknowledgement that the promotion of te reo Māori reinforces a critical connection to te Ao Māori.
“We are now seeing the results of the hard work and dedication undertaken by many of our te reo Māori champions in recent decades. Their efforts, collectively, have helped turn the tide on prevailing attitudes towards the place and space of te reo Māori within business and organisational contexts. Perhaps now, more than ever, there is a growing realisation that te reo Māori is indeed a taonga, that the future of our indigenous language rests with us all, that we all have a role to play.”
TVNZ’s general manager people and talent Lisa Hansen says in recent years, interest in the language has grown and TVNZ is keen to get on board. “Te Reo in the workplace is more and more relevant and prevalent and TVNZ certainly believes that and wants to be at the forefront of that.”
Massey will offer a foundational course teaching the basics of te reo Māori, providing employees with a base from which they can further progress and advance their understanding of the language.
Professor Durie is optimistic about the future. “The agreement represents an immensely important commitment from TVNZ and recognition of the role they play as a national broadcaster in Aotearoa. For Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, we remain steadfast in our view that te reo Māori will continue to flourish through collaborative opportunities such as this partnership with TVNZ.”