# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ainu language revival finds inspiration in Te Ataarangi methods

# data[].attributes.body
2019 visit

# data[].attributes.body
i waenganui iwi taketake

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
indigenous peoples around the world still look t...

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Indigenous peoples around the world still look to Māori for leadership and guidance

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Where does our future lie for things like te reo, culture and identity? Are we guilty of wallowing in our own problems - think kōhanga reo, Māori TV, Ture Whenua review, the Māori language review? Yet other indigenous groups are thriving by following our early revitalisation efforts.

# data[].attributes.body
i waenganui iwi taketake

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
native american school group make māori connections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Native American school group make Māori connections

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
They've flown all the way from Albuquerque, New Mexico, in search of language revitalisation schemes and relationship building between native cultures. The Native American Community Academy have held a long relationship between Māori since the early 2000's - today they've landed with a whole new fleet of students eager to learn and experience off Māori.

# data[].attributes.body
Kaua e hoko mea mai i enei kakiwhero.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
māori family speak out on racism against te reo use

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Māori family speak out on racism against te reo use

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
While there's much more awareness about the Māori language today, a Hastings family found out that there are still some out there who believe that te reo Māori has no place in modern society. And as Hania Douglas reports, while the whānau was out shopping at Pak N Save on the weekend, they were verbally attacked by a fellow shopper for speaking Māori.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It wasn't so long ago that many of Australia's First Peoples were banned from and often punished for speaking their native language.

Now some schools in New South Wales are hoping to reverse the damage.

NITV's Rachael Hocking visited Woolgoolga High on the state's mid-north coast, where Gumbaynggirr is part of the curriculum.

In an ideal world, this is how most kids would start their school day, walking into a classroom, where the first words spoken are from the first language of that area.

Caitlin, Lachlan, Jaden and Izzy are taking their weekly Gumbaynggirr lesson.

They're among a handful of students who are the first to learn it as an HSC subject.

Caitlin has been learning Gumbaynggirr at Woolgoolga High School for two years, but her connection to the language goes back further.

Caitlin says, "The first time I ever heard Gumbaynggirr, it was when I first went to live with my mum after my dad passed away. And that's when I first met my Uncle Bing too. I didn't know who he was. And he sat me around the fire and he started teaching me the words. The first words he taught me was 'wagai' and that means fire. It's helped me a lot to discover who I am and where I fit in my family."

She thinks having language lessons taught at her school has helped in an even broader community reconciliation.

"Before the language come in and that, there was a lot of like bullying and that, and not just to indigenous people, but the other way back. I guess bringing the language into the school, it's helped other people embrace it and not be so judgmental against it," says Caitlin.

Teacher Courtney Hine says, "That's one of the biggest things I noticed is that our whole school community has just become so ready to absorb anything about the culture of where we're actually living."

The language has already brought this school together, but for two best mates, it's done something more.

Lachlan is Gamilaroi and Jaden is Gumbaynggirr.

They are singing a song about initiation that Jaden's great, great, great uncle used to sing.

Lachlan Walsh says, "Ever since year three, we've been pretty much brothers, as close as brothers, that's how we count ourselves, don't even worry about blood. So to come up and learn the culture together, to start to play didge together, to learn the language, stories, to do the songs..."

It's no doubt had a positive effect, but for these students studying it as part of their HSC, there is one catch - it won't count towards their ATAR score.

Teachers, like Dhunghutti woman Courtney Hine, say it might just be a matter of time before that changes.

Courtney says, "We had to have so much support from the outside community, we had to have so much support from the Elders. Like it took a long time. It started off as a small group of Aboriginal kids and a teacher teaching when they got a chance - like outside of school hours, in the afternoons - and now it's in the curriculum. It's pretty cool".

While Gumbaynggirr is not yet taught to every year level, it is, impressively, a core subject for every year seven student.

This generation is proving how determined they are to keep the language alive.

Jaden Perkins says, "I wanna keep it in my blood so when I get older I can teach it to the younger generations as well, and so it just keeps passing on.

"The culture will be carried on for generations after this. It will be re-awakened, not taken away from us," says Caitlin.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It wasn't so long ago that many of Australia's First Peoples were banned from and often punished for speaking their native language. Now some schools in New South Wales are hoping to reverse the damage. NITV's Rachael Hocking visited Woolgoolga High on the state's mid-north coast, where Gumbaynggirr is part of the curriculum.

# data[].attributes.body
Taumarunui High School

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
According to the Ministry of Education, Māori students do much better when their education reflects and values their identity, language and culture. Yet in the King Country town of Taumarunui Te Reo Māori is only offered as a six-week optional subject at the High School.

Local kaumātua and whānau are calling for Māori language to be offered again as a core subject at Taumarunui High School. But as Iulia Leilua reports, the school's priority is on numeracy and literacy.

The principal of Taumarunui High School John Rautenbach declined to be interviewed on camera by Native Affairs. We sent written questions and asked, "Why not offer te reo Māori as a core subject in Years 9 and 10?

Mr Rautenbach replied:

"Our core curriculum at Years 9 and 10 focuses on literacy and numeracy, which are the national priorities."
"Students were offered a really wide range of interesting study options by staff.... two of the six-week Te Reo Māori courses found favour with students, as did the year-long Japanese project."

He also said: "Over recent years we have noticed fewer students opting to study Te Reo Māori."

And in response to our question about why Māori language is being offered in the same stream as skiing, he said:

"For juniors, Fridays are the day they choose their passion subjects and get to do whole day activities. Fridays are also when our elite ski squad train with Ruapehu Snow Sports Instructors, and the day set aside for the Junior Ski Trip. All junior students get to go skiing regardless of which project they are doing."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
According to the Ministry of Education, Māori students do much better when their education reflects and values their identity, language and culture. Yet in the King Country town of Taumarunui Te Reo Māori is only offered as a six-week optional subject at the High School.