Māori Language Week and bilingual traffic signs

It’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori - Māori Language Week! 12-18 Sept 2022

You may have noticed bilingual traffic signage popping up across Aotearoa?

Following on from Waka Kotahi’s research on bilingual signs 2021, the He Tohu Huarahi Māori bilingual traffic signs programme was developed. 

Waka Kotahi wants to contribute to having te reo Māori seen, heard and spoken wherever possible to continue the revitalisation of the language. Waka Kotahi is working alongside their partners @Te Mātāwai and local government to enable and implement the use of bilingual traffic signs, to ensure safe and consistent use across state highways and local roads.

From April 2022 new bilingual traffic kura/school signs will be used when existing English only signs need replacing or new signs are installed. Already we are seeing this with schools in Napier and Rotorua among the first to receive the new signs.

You can read more about this here -bilingual-kura-school-traffic-signs-from-2022 and in the NZ Herald here and here.

ViaStrada has also contributed to this conversation by providing advice to Waka Kotahi about the use of bilingual signs for cycle route wayfinding.

Well done to all contributing organisations for their mahi to include Te Reo Māori signage on our streets!