Dr Awanui Te Huia
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Awanui (Ngāti Maniapoto) is a senior lecturer at Te Kawa a Māui at Te Herenga a Waka where she provides significant leadership and support to its Māori language programme. With a PhD in Psychology, her research interests include te reo Māori, identity formation, ancestral language learning, cultural wellbeing, biculturalism and anti-racism.
Rangahau · Related projects
Kia tōnui te reo Māori: Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori, examines the conditions that support the growth, use, and intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori across whānau and communities in Aotearoa. The project focuses on four interconnected areas: te reo o te kāinga-Māori language use in the home, the role of social and community…
View projectKia tōnui te reo Māori – Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori
Kia tōnui te reo Māori: Prosperous whānau, prosperous reo Māori, examines the
conditions that support the growth, use, and intergenerational transmission of te reo Māori across whānau and communities in Aotearoa. The project focuses on four interconnected areas: te reo o te kāinga-Māori language use in the home, the role of social and community relationships, effective language acquisition processes, and the development of practical resources to support reo Māori revitalisation.
Preliminary findings highlight that te reo o te kāinga, me te reo o te hapori is strongly influenced by a combination of factors. These include supportive whānau environments, access to Kaupapa-Māori education (an aspect highly limited in some hapori), strong social networks where te reo is normalised (including kaupapa that bring whānau with shared interests together), and opportunities to use the language in meaningful, low-pressure contexts. Our research also reinforces the importance of addressing broader structural conditions, such as economic stability, time availability, and experiences of racism, all of which continue to have an impact on prospective reo learners, active learners, and users of te reo.
Our early findings indicate that te reo tuku iho is most possible when whānau are supported not only with language learning tools, but also with strategies that strengthen relationships, reduce anxiety, and create sustainable language practices in everyday life. We also note the importance of friendships in helping to sustain te reo across contexts.
