Ōpōtiki residents are invited to celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week 14 – 20 September 2026) with a series of free community activities at Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi - Ōpōtiki District Library.
Each year, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – the Māori Language Commission, the national organisers of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori creates a focus point for the week.
This year the focus is Te Reo Towns and recognising the places and communities leading the way in the use of te reo Māori, like Ōpōtiki which became an official Aotearoa Reo Rua town in 2023 as part of the national Reo Rua initiative supporting towns and cities across Aotearoa New Zealand to become bilingual centres.
The Te Reo towns focus also encourages other towns to take up the challenge to increase the visibility of te reo Māori alongside English.
Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi – Ōpōtiki District Library Manager, Joelle Campbell, said we use te reo Māori everyday here and celebrate reo rua (bilingualism) because it’s a natural part of who we are as a community.
“One of the things I love most, is that here at Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi, te reo Māori is not only written and spoken, it’s visual too. Our building has beautiful stories incorporated right throughout. From our tāhuhu to our pou, to our artwork – there’s a visual language that speaks to our community each day.
“But for us, Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is always a special time of year, because each year we get to celebrate our reo in different ways and encourage our community to join us in safe and welcoming spaces. We also have internal activities within council that we as staff join in on. Things like kupu o te rā and my personal favourite bingo”, Mrs Campbell said.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori organisers through their web, media and social content, encourage everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand, to take up the spirit of the week and celebrate te reo in their own way.
"Te Reo Māori is a taonga that holds so much value for us all. And if you live in Aotearoa, it is your taonga too.
“We are not language experts. We are language lovers and want everyone to come join us, have a laugh, give some words a go. Try making a poi or doing some weaving because it’s not just about the words we use it’s the things we do that connect us to culture and to one another”, Mrs Campbell said.
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori activities at Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi include Monday: Poi Making Workshop. Kick off Māori Language Week by creating your own poi.
Tuesday: Ake Ake Ake Clothing Branding. Bring along a new or pre-loved clothing item and give it a fresh look with an exclusive Ake Ake Ake decal.
Wednesday: Waiata Wenerei with Anita Kurei-Paruru.
Thursday: Weaving Workshop with Te Tāwharau o Te Whakatōhea. Learn traditional weaving techniques from local experts.
Friday: Kupu Scavenger Hunt. Finish the week with a fun and interactive scavenger hunt that will challenge participants to discover and use Māori words and phrases throughout Te Tāhuhu o Te Rangi. It's a great activity for whānau, tamariki, and anyone keen to put their te reo skills into practice.
More information on the activities can be found in the Facebook event on the Ōpōtiki District Council Facebook page.
