"Te Mahi Kai"—"the language of food"—is the theme of this year's Maori Language Week, taking place in New Zealand from July 26 to August 1.
Organizers aim to encourage the use of Maori, the language of New Zealand's indigenous people, as a spoken language in communities. The theme was chosen because gathering and preparing food is an important part of Maori culture.
Activities and events will take place nationwide throughout the week to raise awareness of "Te Reo" (the language). Maori is dying, despite being one of three official languages in New Zealand, along with English and New Zealand Sign Language.
A team at Massey University, Wellington, is handing out language cards to coffee customers to teach them how to order in the Maori language.
"We've got a really strong coffee culture here, so we thought we'd give it a go and see if it went off," the university's Lana Simmons-Donaldson told TVNZ, "and it seems to have done that."
Otago University, Dunedin, has hangi food on its menu for the week. Hangi is a traditional Maori cooking method that uses a pit oven containing heated rocks.
Amid the fun of Maori Language Week, there is also disappointment, however.
The Maori Language Award will not be awarded this year, as no entries have been submitted. The book award was established in 2008, and was to carry a $10,000 NZ prize this year.
Judge Paul Diamond said it showed the low number of books being written for Maori adults, according to the New Zealand Herald.
"Let's see Te Reo 'chick-lit,' Te Reo mystery series and thrillers," he told the newspaper. "It would be great to also see Te Reo cookbooks, histories, biographies and more."
26 July 2010
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