Iona Winter

i’m grateful i was taught

te reo māori

as a kid

and had my bum kicked

figuratively

if i got pronunciation wrong

we take our shoes off

so we don’t trek

any tiko inside ngā whare

metaphorically

i cringe when people say ‘leave them on’ or utter words badly because that’s how they’ve ‘always’ said them

i know the reactions when i do the same

in english

i am so grateful that i was taught

* It’s Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week here in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This reminds me of times when people have commented on my writing and asked for translation, or suggested I leave my indigenous language out. For the record, I have done neither. Kia ora, Iona.