Learning te reo Māori has been one of the most challenging journeys I’ve ever taken on, but my version of “hard” happened within conditions that many learners would dream of. I showed up. I worked hard. I put in the hours. I took it seriously. I sacrificed a lot of my time to commit to learning full-time and beyond. But I will also openly acknowledge that I had privileges that helped fast-track my progress.
Not everyone begins their reo journey with the same advantages or support. And maybe by sharing this, it will help a learner out there feel less discouraged, less behind, and less alone.
So here it is: the truth about my reo Māori journey.
1. Financial stability
I had a husband who fully supported us financially for the whole year I studied full immersion. We had free rent, and most of his meals were covered through his work in a boarding house. I didn’t need a part-time job, so I could give 100% to my learning. That was a massive privilege.
2. Strong support system
I married someone already fluent in te reo Māori, PLUS he is a reo Māori teacher. I had a safe, nurturing space to practise every day at home. I was also studying with my dad, who had a shared vision of passing down the reo to the next generation. Not many people have that kind of support system while they’re learning.
3. No tamariki during study
I did my one-year full immersion course before starting a family. Now that we have three tamariki, I honestly don’t know how parents juggle a demanding learning environment and parenting 😩
4. Positive relationship with learning
In school I was the classic teacher’s pet who thrived in a classroom environment. Learning came easy to me. But my dad’s journey was the opposite. He grew up being punished for not understanding his homework and labelled the “dumb kid,” so anything assessment-related would make him freeze up. It broke my heart seeing how much impact that had on his learning 😢
5. Accustomed to learning another language
I grew up overseas surrounded by multiple cultures, and spent a year fully immersed in a French-speaking country. My brain was naturally more wired for recognising language patterns, foreign sounds, and all the little quirks that make a language unique. So even though te reo stretched me, my brain knew how to adapt relatively quickly.
6. Proximity to opportunities
We lived in a city with access to quality learning opportunities. I didn't need to move cities or commute for hours every week to attend classes. That was also a privilege.
I worked hard, absolutely. But I can't pretend like I didn't have a head start. Without those privileges, my progress would have looked very different, and definitely much slower.
Why am I sharing this?
To remind you that everyone’s reo journey is different. Sometimes it's discouraging to see other learners thrive or excel when you're struggling with the basics, but everyone is navigating their own waka. Some have calm seas, steady winds and full crews, while others are paddling solo against the tide.
Your journey is valid. Your pace is valid. And your progress (no matter how slow and ugly it feels) is still a step forward.
