Chapman Tripp adopts formal te reo Māori policy

Chapman Tripp has launched a formal te reo Māori policy.

“Ko te reo Māori te kākahu o te whakaaro Māori, te huarahi ki te ao tūroa, te mauri o te mana Māori. (Te reo Māori is the cloak of Māori thought, the path to the enduring world, the very essence of Māori.)” the firm said.

“Papakina ana te tāhuna e ngā ngaru pukepuke o te reo Māori hei whakaoreore i te iwi kia tahuri mai. Kua eke te wā me whakamana te reo pūtake o tēnei whenua. Nō reira, hoake rā tātou! (Te reo Māori bellows in the distance calling for our attention. The time has come to acknowledge the indigenous language of this country. So, let’s do this!),” it said.

The firm first announced plans to launch a formal Māori language policy in September. The policy encourages, supports, and facilitates the use of te reo Māori by the firm’s people. It reflects the firm’s acknowledgement of te reo Māori as the indigenous language of the country and recognises its status as an official language under the Māori Language Act 2016.

Drafted in both English and Māori, the policy was developed in consultation with the firm’s people. It encourages using the language at levels appropriate to people’s skill levels. It also sets out plans to ensure that the firm builds on its commitment to foster the language. That commitment includes continuing to offer te reo Māori classes for beginners all the way to advanced users across all offices. The policy also ensures te reo Māori ambassadors are available to give guidance on te reo Māori and tikanga, the firm said.

“Te reo Māori is at the heart of our nation’s foundation, and at Chapman Tripp, we are proactively encouraging and promoting te reo Māori as being both advantageous and valued in the workplace,” said Nick Wells, the firm’s chief executive partner)

“As we have just commemorated Waitangi Day, we are reminded that the Māori language is a taonga that needs to flourish and that we all have a part to play in this.” he said.