Ria Tomoana
Te Atiawa, Ngāti Kahungu and Ngāti Pāhauwera
Ria has tribal affiliations to Te Atiawa, Ngāti Kahungu and Ngāti Pāhauwera. Experienced in sociolinguistics, Māori language policy and legislation, monitoring and evaluation, Ria has worked behind the scenes looking at the mechanisms within the government’s engine that are required to drive revitalisation. Forever the optimist, Ria exudes enthusiasm as she seeks the potential to help contribute towards benefits for all parties involved.
From a Treaty Claim, the Māori Language Act: From the review, a new Partner called Te Mātāwai
"In the mid 1900s, the demise of Māori language and culture became very salient and the response was the renaissance period which would span through to 2022 and probably beyond. The Māori language was pivotal to Māori in reclaiming ones identity which would see a number of social, cultural, economical, institutional and legislative changes launched off the Māori Language Petition 1972, starting with the Māori Language Act 1986, the Māori Language Commission 1987, the review of the Māori language sector 2011, a review of the Māori Language Act in 2014 assented in 2016, a national Māori language language strategy (Te Whare o te Reo Mauriora) and Te Mātāwai in 2017, and another review of the Act in 2021.
Through the years, the terms treaty, partnership, collaboration and equity have become common utterances between Māori and the Crown. This presentation provides an insight of Te Mātāwai experience in the five year period it has been in existence to ‘act on behalf of iwi and Māori’ for the revitalisation of the Māori language. Where does the partnership work and where does it not?
This session will be conducted in Te Reo Māori"
