Te Puni Kōkiri and myReo Studios launched a new reo māori app at the Polyfest today aimed at encouraging the use of te reo through technology and sport.
Te Puni Kōkiri aims to normalise te reo through sport.
"We've put our reo efforts into this space because our reo is already doing well on our marae, in our schools, high schools and Māori tertiary institutes. It's outside of those spaces that out reo is left behind," says Eruera Lee-Morgan of Te Puni Kokiri.
The Puni Reo Poitarawhiti app uses idioms, words, and directions that specifically pertain to netball and teaches through gamification.
"When we were making the game we discovered that actually there aren't any resources centralised and standardised [in] te reo and we wanted to make it more engaging for kids," says Kawana Wallace of myReo Studios.
Finding the right kupu and kīwaha hasn't been an easy task.
Morgan says the players have a language, the umpires, the coaches, even the supporters.
"We've pulled them together and put them in this app, to live and grow there," Morgan says.
"Part of myReo is making things bilingual so it's not just for Māori it's actually for everyone. if I can get people learning five or six new kupu or kīwaha to shout out in support of their kids would be a huge success for us."
myReo Studios plan to extend to the app to include more sports in the coming months.