Māori Language

New Zealand · indigenous languages · Polynesian · living language

Eastern Polynesian language. Māori belongs to the Austronesian language family and is related to languages spoken across the Pacific Ocean, like those in Tahiti and the Cook Islands. It's the southernmost Polynesian language in the world.

No written form originally. Before Europeans arrived in New Zealand, Māori people spoke their language but had no written alphabet or script. They passed down stories, history, and knowledge by speaking and remembering.

Written with Latin letters. In the 1800s, Northern Māori people and English Protestant clergy worked together to create a written version of the language using the same alphabet we use in English. This helped preserve and standardize Māori spelling.

Official language since 1987. The Māori Language Act of 1987 made Māori an official language of New Zealand alongside English. This gave the language legal protection and support after many years of decline.

Different regional dialects. Just like English sounds different in different places, Māori has regional dialects across New Zealand where people pronounce and use words in slightly different ways.