Stats Internal
The report, Nga Waiaro atu ki Te Reo Maori- Attitudes Towards the Maori Language conducted by and sourced from Te Puni Kokiri- Realising Maori Potential derives from the initial interest of Maori groups and communities in regard to the Maori language and the need for its revitalisation. Te Puni Kokiri- Realising Maori Potential have reported the results of the surveys conducted by the Government associated with the attitudes towards the Maori language in New Zealand and whether the people’s motives of revitalisation have sustained. This report informs the readers about the common attitudes toward the Maori language and how the population of both Maori and non-Maori respond to the Government’s involvement in the language revitalisation as well as what the people of New Zealand have contributed and are contributing to the 5 goals set by the Government which they wish to achieve by 2028 especially that of the fifth, “The Maori language will be valued by all New Zealanders and there will be a common awareness of the need to protect the language.” The main population of interest would be Maori people and communities, Maori language speakers or learners of the language. As well as members of the Government, educators, policy-makers, and community leaders.
The overall purpose of the report was to inform New Zealanders of the attitudes of the Maori language in New Zealand. This data was gathered for the purpose of measuring knowledge, attitudes and the general values about the Maori language amongst Maori and non-Maori. To investigate and inform the whole of the New Zealand population of the attitudes displayed by the people of the country towards the Maori language and its need for revitalisation and the means that the Government and those with authority can undertake in order to engage more of the population with the national language. Its purpose is to indicate that there is considerable work that can be done to improve the Government’s system of language revitalisation and to inform of the improvements that can be carried out by the Government, educators, policy-makers, and community leaders to interest more of the population in order for them to support and participate in Maori language-related activities therefore it may as a result, correspond their actions towards its revitalisation with the population’s survey responses.
The three surveys commissioned by the Government undertaken in 2000, 2003 and 2006 were appropriately displayed in three tables displaying the sample data collected from the population of interest who were the people of New Zealand. However it does not state whether the information was collected from people across the whole of New Zealand or from a certain area of the country nor how they came to be selected thus there is a chance of the result of bias being present in the information gathered. Perhaps people from different geographical locations of the country have different attitudes towards the language as the Maori influence in the area may not be as strong as other areas of New Zealand. The investigative question “What is the knowledge, attitudes and general values of the Maori language amongst Maori and non-Maori” was asked over a telephone survey through the use of attitudinal statements towards the language and the response of the population of interest to the statements; whether they agree to them. Variables were measured by the percentage of people who agreed and strongly agreed to the statements. The surveys compared the attitudes of Maori and non-Maori towards the Maori language and their participation in selected language and culture related activities over the years 2000, 2003 and 2006. As well as their attitudes towards the Government involvement in the Maori language revitalisation such as funding for Maori broadcasting.
The sampling method and how the Maori and non- Maori samples came to be selected were not given in the report however it is likely that the Government