How many times have you heard someone butcher a place name like Taupō, Akaroa, or Paraparaumu, or maybe you've caught yourself doing it and thought, “Ah well, close enough”?
The truth is, most of us grew up hearing the wrong pronunciation. It’s been normalised for so long that making the effort to say something correctly can feel awkward or even performative. And that’s a tough space to sit in, because on one hand, we want to show respect, but on the other, we don’t want to feel like we’re putting on a show. That discomfort is real. But it’s also an opportunity for growth. Making the effort, even when it feels awkward, is a powerful act of respect. And it’s not about getting it perfect — it’s about showing that it matters.
Mispronouncing te reo Māori isn’t just a slip-up anymore. In a country where te reo is an official language, and where more and more people are proudly reclaiming their identity and language, continuing to ignore or dismiss proper pronunciation is, frankly, outdated.
Pausing to say a name right, choosing one Māori word instead of five English ones, giving it a go even if you’re unsure, is how change starts. And that change doesn’t just happen out in the world. It starts inside you. The more you use te reo Māori in your everyday life, the more natural it begins to feel. You start noticing words you’d normally skip over. You pause and pronounce things more carefully. You stop defaulting to English when there’s a perfectly good kupu Māori you already know.
That’s how we normalise te reo, not just for others, but for ourselves. It becomes part of how we speak, how we connect, and how we show respect.
At RedSeed, we recently released Kia ora, a short course designed to help people take simple, practical steps to use te reo Māori at work. We’re in the business of behaviour change, helping people build skills, shift mindsets, and put learning into action. So when it came to te reo, we asked ourselves: why not use what we’re good at to make a difference here too? You’re welcome.
Using te reo Māori at work doesn’t mean replacing everything you say. It means being intentional. Saying kia ora instead of “hi” when you greet your work bestie. Choosing to use mahi in a sentence instead of “work.” Saying a karakia when opening a team meeting or before kai. Pronouncing place names correctly. And not shying away from trying.
We already use a lot of te reo Māori in our everyday language. Whānau, kai, aroha, puku, marae, haka, mana, tapu. These words have settled into the way we speak. And that’s the point. Language revival doesn’t always come from big declarations. It comes from small shifts. Normalising. Repeating. Hearing it. Saying it. Again. And again.
I was one of the first kids in the 80s to experience the rollout of te reo Māori in early childhood education. I still remember sitting cross-legged on the mat, singing Oma Rāpeti, pointing at colours on flashcards, and learning to count to ten in te reo. That early exposure stuck with me.
Years later, when I began creating learning content for workplaces, I realised how powerful those small moments were. Singing a waiata at kindy wasn’t just a box-ticking exercise. It was the beginning of a relationship with language and one that I'm still building today.
That’s why I created this course. Not because I’m fluent. But because I care. Because I wanted to offer a starting point for people like me, who want to learn, want to do better, and maybe just need a bit of help knowing where to begin.
The reo revival has been happening for decades, led by courageous iwi, educators, and language champions. But now, the responsibility is widening. We’re being asked to show up. To put in the effort. To not laugh off mistakes or ignore the discomfort.
If you're in a position of leadership, whether that’s managing a team, running a business, or influencing the culture in your workplace, you set the tone. When you make space for te reo, even in small ways, you signal that it matters. You show respect. You help remove the stigma of “getting it wrong” by trying anyway.
Because mispronunciation isn’t harmless. Saying “Tower-po” instead of “Taupō” or “Param” instead of “Paraparaumu” signals more than a mistake. It can come across as careless, dismissive, and disrespectful. And while no one expects perfection, people do appreciate the effort.
Kia ora is practical. It doesn’t throw you into grammar or overwhelm you with vocab. Instead, it focuses on:
It’s short. It’s accessible. And it’s built with aroha.
What makes Kia ora truly different is that it‘s grounded in real voices from RedSeed. We worked closely with people from our team — not just to build the course, but to feature in it. Each person shared their personal ‘why'’for learning te reo Māori, and those stories really became the heart of the course.
From overcoming the fear of mispronouncing words, to doing their bit for the reo revival, to reclaiming their identity and even confronting feelings of shame; their experiences are honest, relatable, and powerful.
You‘ll also hear te reo spoken by people with different accents and levels of fluency. This reflects the reality of our diverse workplaces and shows that there’s no perfect way to begin — only the importance of starting. Learners teaching learners creates a unique dynamic: it's encouraging, human, and real. No actors or AI here!
If you’re a team leader, people look to you for cues. If you’re a business owner, you influence the culture. And if you’re in HR or L&D, you shape how learning happens.
So here's the challenge: take the first step. Learn to say your town's name properly. Start your emails with kia ora. Include a karakia in a team hui. Encourage your team to take the course. And more importantly, do it alongside them.
Because language is identity. And te reo Māori is part of ours.
It’s not going away. It‘s not someone else‘s job. It’s all of ours.
Kia ora.
Interested in bringing Kia ora to your team? Get in touch with the RedSeed team or explore our workplace learning solutions at www.redseed.com.
Emily Gibson
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