New Zealanders are being told that everybody has a role to play in revitalising Te Reo Māori.
More than 20,000 people have registered to take part in parades across Aotearoa to mark Māori Language Week.
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Ngahiwi Apanui, chief executive of the Māori Language Commission, says nobody is born speaking perfect Maori.
"No matter how little you know or how much you know, give it a go," he says.
Te Reo is being celebrated in classrooms, workplaces and marae across the country through the week.
"It's really, really important for us to have kaupapa, or initiatives, that the community can engage in, "says Apanui. "Our philosophy is that if the community is engaged in the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori, it's more likely to be successful."
There will also be hikoi throughout the week.
"Those parades, or hikoi whakanui, are really about showing your love for the Māori language rather than a protest. So if people want to get out there and show their love for Te Reo Māori, the parades are an excellent opportunity to do that."
The Māori Language Commission wants to see one million New Zealanders speaking Māori by 2040.
Newshub.
