A non-Māori mother-of-three is taking up the challenge of Mahuru Māori, only speaking te reo Māori during the month of September.
Laura Quin says the challenge aligns with her goals to raise her children to avoid racism.
Quin says the role of all New Zealanders is to lift up the Māori language and the Māori world.
“Racism is rife in New Zealand,” says Quin, “I don't want to have that attitude fed to my children.”
A record 3,000 people have registered for Mahuru Māori.
Paraone Gloyne came up with the idea five years ago, and is pleased with the number of participants, but say's there's some way to go to expand the idea to every day of the year.
“The saying by Tāwhiao is `My friends will come from all four corners of the world’," he says.
“The Māori language will not continue on by Māori speakers only.”
And Quin is one of those soldiers.
Last year she started her journey to learn te reo. This year she and her teacher will speak only Māori during September.
“Firstly, she is a good example for non-Māori,” says Whakarongotai Hohepa, “Secondly, for Māori- to speak our treasured language to everyone, everywhere.”
The reo was once described as a dying language, but now they have high hopes.
According to the New Zealand there are around 50,000 people who can speak te reo Māori 'well or very well'.