Māori Language Moment aims to beat world record

September 13, 2021

Activities of the week include an attempt at a world record tomorrow.

A world record attempt set for tomorrow aims to get two million people taking part in a Māori Language Moment.

One million people participated last year, and this year the Māori Language Commission wants to beat that number.

The Māori Language Moment is being held as part of Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week, to encourage people to start speaking, learning, and celebrating te reo. 

Participants must register online for the Māori Language Moment and can celebrate the language in any way they like, from wherever they are at 12pm on Tuesday - be it singing a waiata, reciting a karakia, or simply greeting someone in te reo.

“If you want to at 12 o'clock say kia ora to somebody, that's enough to be a part of it,” says commission chief executive, Ngahiwi Apanui.

“Register and say what you're going to do. If you want to do a mihi at that time, that’s cool too, if you want to sing a Māori song, you can engage that way.”

Maori language week

The commission will be registering its world record attempt with the Guinness Book of World Records. 

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