The Maori language

The Treaty of Waitangi Act of 1975 placed English and Maori on an equal footing status at least in ideal but in reality, the only right specifically recognized by the law concerns the language in courts not in daily life as I am going to explain it. I. The Education sphere

In the field of education, English is compulsory from nursery school to university. Nevertheless, the Maori can receive an education in their language from the nursery school to the first cycle of the primary school but this equality of language lasts three years only, and unfortunately the Maori schools are rare and available only in the regions where the minority is concentrated. English is inescapable because mathematics courses and other courses are only exempted in English. Furthermore, the shortage of the teaching equipment in Maori language and the lack of professors (only 4 % of them are Maori) capable of teaching this tongue return the education less and less accessible. The pupils whose mother tongue is one of the Polynesian languages or the language of another community also have the same possibilities of using their own tongue within the framework of their schooling but inevitably if they keep on studying they would have to learn English. In high school, there is no courses in Maori tongue; it is said the professors are free however to give courses on the Maoris culture and history. As well, the ministry of Education in New Zealand prepares teaching equipment that it distributes in schools to favour this cultural education. But the Ministry also wants to promote the multicultural feature of New Zealand; as a result the Maori culture is often flooded in the contents appropriate for the European, Polynesian and Asian cultures. In brief, the system established in New Zealand aims less at assuring the survival of the language and the Maori culture that to promote a passing bilingual education so that the Maori can become integrated into the English-speaking majority of the country. II. The business sphere In the working world, particularly the business sphere, English is almost exclusively used. The visibility of the Maori is marginal, it is perceived only in the administrative display,

especially in the Maori municipalities, in the Foreign Ministry and in the National library. The road marking is in English only. Most of the place-names of New Zealand wear Maori names. But the National Geographic Board, which holds an absolute authority on the official usage of the place-names, does not accept the principle of a bilingual toponymy. Brands and commercial advertising appear only in English, with the exception of shops with touristic vocation where Japanese and Chinese languages are present. Finally, if regulations relative to the safety rules appear only in English, certain governmental agencies publish rather often leaflets intended for the general public not only in Maori, but also in other Polynesian languages. The satisfaction of the minority groups is rather brought up in the case of the immigrants, often too happy to become integrated into the English-speaking majority of the country. On the other hand, the Maori declare themselves completely dissatisfied of their rights which are recognized. They claim many more services in their tongue, particularly in administration, justice, education and working environment. Some people ask for a new law on the Maori language which would transpose their rights into the facts and would be widen in diverse domains, particularly at school. Furthermore, the Maori do not want anymore that their rights are only granted to them only if there is an express demand. The leaders of the Maori community wish that the use of the Maori is spread to the all school system and available for every Maori pupil, that more human resources are dedicated to the training of the professors and that the ministry of Education plans complete programs in Maori language. Finally, they ask for an extension of the programs on radio and television in Maori language. III. The administration language The administration of the country works only in English, whether it is in the internal management between employees or in the services to citizens. Some municipalities of the north can communicate in Maori, but it is about a little spread practice there. Nevertheless, the Commissionership in the Maori language, which has for function to promote the use of the Maori in all the governmental services, makes numerous efforts to encourage the Maori to ask for services in their language. It seems that many Maori hesitate to make it themselves because they would have then the impression to seek a privilege. In reality, as the offer does not precede the demand,

the Maori have to require expressly the bilingualism to see offering a service in their language, what, it seems, would ask for a lot of courage as far as the human resources in Maori language are limited. However, in some municipalities where the Maori are concentrated, the bilingual services are less difficult to obtain. Let us underline that the service of public utilities to the Maori was not formerly assured by governmental ministries, but by independent organizations which served the whole native population. The role of the ministry of the Maori Development nowadays consists in presenting Maorisproblems to organisations of the governmental services. The Ministry make efforts and collaborates with iwi, hapu and other Maori organizations to determine the particular needs and formulate recommendations.

Conclusion As things stand at the present, we can consider that the Maori rights are really restricted and are not followed by a real policy of promotion of their ancestral language. More and more Maori want to learn this one to find their identity. As the Maori nationalism is in constant increase for some years, the New Zealand government would be out-of-place to ignore these demands, because they turn out of the most legitimate. The status of the Maori as an official language does not come true in the facts, because it corresponds rather to that of the rights sharply differentiated in favour of English. It seems, after all, that the Maori became more a symbol than a question of equality between citizens for other people. For example, the strategies of marketing and promotion of the New Zealand tourism refer to all Maori traditions, but as much as every rest in the field of the folklore (tattooed faces and Maori dances).