Te Reo Maori

The Maori language follows similar pathways to New Zealand Sign Language.

Maori - Pre 1840, Maori was the predominant language of New Zealand.

1867 The Native Schools Act decrees that English should be the only language used in the education of Maori children. The policy was later rigorously enforced, and urban migration plays its part.

NZSL - Pre-1800's, sign language was used in schools all over the world, including the first public school for the Deaf in Paris in the 1700's.

1880 The International Congress on Education of the Deaf in Milan recommended the oral method as a method of teaching. Because of this, oral teaching is the policy for the next 100 years; and those who caught signing were punished, for more, ... click here (Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to be installed on your machine) Dont have Adobe Acrobat Reader?, If you dont..., then click here to get it.

Q: What about Maori Deaf?

Maori Deaf have a unique dual identity, they belong to both the Maori and Deaf communities.

Q: Is there a Maori Sign Language?

There is no separate Maori Sign Language, however there are many Maori Signs. Maori and Pakeha Deaf use NZSL as a common community language. But as Maori Deaf people have recently become more aware of their dual Maori and Deaf cultural heritage, they have developed signs and translations to express concepts relating to Maori culture in NZSL.

This sets apart New Zealand Sign Language to its 'cousins', Australian and British Sign Languages. The signs for Maori concepts are unique because they are expressed in a slightly different way than the common NZSL structure, they incorporate tikianga Maori way of saying things. Check out the Maori Language Week Website at www.nzreo.org.nz