In Te Tai Tokerau, New Zealand Sign Language is coming face to face with te reo Māori.
Te Tai Tokerau, or Northland, is one of the most isolated and rural areas in Aotearoa, a place where it is easy for the Māori deaf community to become disconnected from their culture.
So five years ago, Eddie Hokianga decided to devote himself to teaching sign language, driving all across Te Tai Tokerau to share the reo.
"At that time, though, I slept inside my car. I'd go and teach a class, look around, and then I just go back into my car and sleep there," he told The Hui.
"Then carry on and go to work in the next class."
Today, Hokianga is a full-time ringa tohu reo Māori teacher.
Next month, he'll teach Māori Ringa Tohu Reo, a free eight-week sign language course with reo elements held at the marae.
It's a kaupapa he's developed alongside his mate Kim Robinson.
Robinson worked as an advocate for the deaf community in Te Tai Tokerau for 10 years and said many Māori don't have access to sign interpreters and resources.
That prompted Robinson and Hokianga to set up sign language classes with a reo approach in Te Tai Tokerau.
"Another thing, we really don't have enough interpreters that understand tikanga Maori."
However, it's been a long road to have sign language and te reo Māori being taught together.
Robinson said sign language and te reo share a similar story of oppression. In 1880 the first deaf school was opened in Ōtautahi Christchurch.
"The teachers of the deaf decided to ban sign language. So that impacted the deaf community here in Aotearoa."
Robinson said the New Zealand Government then used the Native Act of 1867 to suppress sign language and te reo Māori.
"The deaf had a double dose if you were deaf and Maori. You had both languages banned on you."
The Māori Ringa Tohu Reo course will start later this month.
Made with support from Te Māngai Pāho and the Public Interest Journalism Fund.
