It’s not about perfection

Embarking and growing in your reo Māori journey

What motivated you to start learning Māori?

Like many New Zealanders, I didn’t grow up immersed in te reo Māori. My koro (grandad) lived through a time when children were punished for speaking Māori, so my pāpā’s generation weren’t able to pass it on. At home and at school, everything was in English, and the Māori language simply wasn’t part of my life until early adulthood.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t a burst of motivation that got me started, but perfect timing and an open invitation. In 2021, my pāpā asked if I’d join him in a weekly beginner’s class. I hadn’t planned on learning Māori that year, but his support gave me the space to commit, and I quickly realised there’s no single ‘right’ reason or playbook for beginning this journey. That simple invitation opened the door for both of us to discover the value of te reo Māori and set us on a path we’re still walking together.

Overcoming key challenges

As I continued my journey, I faced a few hurdles familiar to many language learners. Mispronunciation was a big one at the start, but by connecting with other learners and spending time in multilingual environments, I learned that language isn’t about perfection; it’s more about showing up with intention and humility. That mindset now underpins everything we do at Manawa Māori.

Once I left college, balancing learning with work and life commitments became my next challenge. Instead of long study sessions, I embraced microlearning: switching my phone to te reo Māori, practising phrases while cooking, reciting karakia each morning, and journaling simple sentences about my day. This approach shaped our ethos at Manawa Māori: learning that is convenient, contextual, and easy to integrate into everyday life.

Most importantly, learning alongside my pāpā made all the difference. We celebrated every small win together, reminding ourselves that fluency isn’t required to feel progress. It was our shared commitment that kept us moving forward. Finding a language buddy or community early on can transform your journey.

How using Māori in your everyday can help others

What I’ve found is that te reo Māori doesn’t just change what you say, it changes how you see. Through the Māori language, I’ve come to appreciate a worldview built on connection and collective wellbeing. Take the word whakapapa for example. We often translate it as “ancestry,” but it also means “to lay one upon another,” which I like to picture as generations stacked like layers in a family tree.

We all know how important language is, and for anaesthetists, using te reo Māori can positively impact patient care, fostering trust, a sense of belonging, and ultimately better outcomes.

Final thoughts

I’m consistently reminded that language is all about people. It reflects how we choose to show up and connect with patients, colleagues, and communities. The Māori language invites us to engage with care, depth, and understanding.

You don’t need fluency, and you won’t get it right every time (I certainly don’t, even as a facilitator). You just need to start. And perhaps, like me, you’ll find that learning Māori gives something back too: a deeper connection to people, to place, and to purpose.

About Ella

• Ancestry from Ngāpuhi, England, Germany
• Began learning Māori in 2021
• Founded Māori language company, Manawa Māori, dedicated to supporting new learners and making te reo Māori more accessible through convenient, community-focused
  learning experiences.