New Zealand’s Education Minister, Erica Stanford, has ignited controversy by directing the removal of most Māori words from a series of early-reading books designed for five-year-olds. The decision, framed as a literacy initiative, has drawn sharp criticism from Māori leaders, educators, and language advocates who view it as a modern echo of historical suppression and a potential breach of the Treaty of Waitangi.
Historical Parallels: The Legacy of Linguistic Erasure
The move has resurrected memories of New Zealand’s colonial-era Native Schools Act 1867, which banned te reo Māori (the Māori language) in classrooms, contributing to its near extinction by the mid-20th century. For decades, Māori children were punished for speaking their language in schools, severing intergenerational transmission and eroding cultural identity.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840), New Zealand’s founding document, guarantees Māori the protection of their taonga (treasures), which courts have affirmed includes te reo. Critics argue that policies marginalizing the language in education—even partially—risk violating these obligations. As Dr Moana Jackson, a renowned Māori lawyer, once stated: “The Treaty isn’t a relic; it’s a living promise.”
The Current Policy: Phonics, Politics, or Cultural Backsliding?
The Ministry of Education’s directive applies to the Ready to Read Phonics Plus series, which uses structured literacy methods to teach English decoding. Officials claim Māori words like wharenui (meeting house) or karakia (prayer) could confuse children learning phonics rules. Only 12 new books in the series will exclude Māori vocabulary, though existing books with Māori terms (e.g., At the Marae) have been reclassified as “big books” for teacher-led reading.
Minister Stanford defends the policy, stating it ensures “consistency” for early readers and highlights new structured literacy resources entirely in te reo Māori. However, critics note that Māori-language resources remain underfunded compared to English materials.
Māori Response: “This Feels Like 1867 All Over Again”
Māori educators and advocates have condemned the move as culturally tone-deaf. Bruce Jepsen, president of Te Akatea (Māori Principals’ Association), likened it to “the same colonial playbook” used to erase te reo. Meanwhile, Tina Ngata, an Indigenous rights scholar, warned: “When you remove our language from shared spaces, you tell Māori children they don’t belong.”
The policy also contradicts New Zealand’s official linguistic landscape: while English is widely spoken, it holds no legal status as an official language. Māori and New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) are the country’s only legally recognized official languages.
Future Implications: A Nation at a Crossroads
1. Treaty Compliance Risks:Legal experts suggest Māori could challenge the policy under Treaty principles, particularly Article 2’s guarantee of tino rangatiratanga (self-determination). The Waitangi Tribunal has previously ruled that language revitalization is a Crown obligation.
2. Cultural Identity and Wellbeing:Studies link te reo Māori proficiency to improved mental health and academic outcomes for Māori youth. Policies perceived as downgrading the language risk alienating students and undermining decades of revitalization efforts.
3. Global Reputation:New Zealand has long been praised for its bicultural policies. Backsliding on language rights could damage its international standing as a leader in Indigenous reconciliation.
A Path Forward: Collaboration Over Imposition:
Many argue solutions lie in co-design with Māori educators:
– Expand bilingual resources that align with structured literacy goals.
– Invest in te reo teacher training to address shortages.
– Ensure Māori leadership in curriculum decisions.
As Dame Naida Glavish, a Māori language champion, reminds us: “He aha te kai ō te rangatira? He kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.” (What is the food of leaders? It is dialogue.)
