Once again New Zealand celebrates the Maori Language Week, an event that aims at raising awareness on the island's indigenous language. Maori, although enjoying co-official language status with English, is still an endangered language. The Linguapax Institute, an organisation working for the world's linguistic diversity, has taken this opportunity to deliver its yearly award to Maori teacher and writer Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira.

According to Linguapax, "Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira has been at the forefront of Maori language revival and teaching for many years". She has published a number of books for children and novels for adults, all in Maori. She is also a teacher and promoter of schools that adopted the immersion teaching system in Maori language, which are called Kura Kaupapa Maori. She is a member of Te Ataarangi, an organisation working for the teaching of Maori to adults.

The Linguapax award is not the first distinction conceded to Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira. In 1996 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Waikato University, and a year later she was named in the Queen's Honours List as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her contribution to the promotion of linguistic diversity in the region. She was also the recipient of the prestigious 2001 Te Tohu Tiketike a Te Waka Toi/Te Waka Toi Exemplary Award.

Miquel Àngel Essomba, director of Linguapax, has said that the award is an "international recognition to the efforts made by the Maori community for the revitalisation of their language in New Zealand in the last 50 years". Essomba has defined the award as an "acknowledgment to Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira and a collective acknowledgment to the whole Maori community".

The Maori language, which is spoken by about 60,000 to 160,000 people, is still in a fragile condition despite recent progress. The language attained official status in 1987, and there is a Commission for the Maori Language (Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori). It can be studied at school, and there are several media broadcasting in Maori, such as Te Karere television.

Photo: Miquel Àngel Essomba and Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira.

Further information:

• Unescocat: L'educadora i escriptora Katerina Te Heikoko Mataira ha rebut...
• Stuff.co.nz: Maori urged to speak te reo at home
• More about the Maori Language Week.
• Resources to learn Maori on-line: Kōrero Māori