Settler language repression: Logan Hamley, ‘”The school is really an English school, so, I guess you just speak English”: settler colonialism’s impact on te reo Māori use by young Māori men, Settler Colonial Studies, 2024 | settler colonial studies blog

Settler language repression: Logan Hamley, ‘”The school is really an English school, so, I guess you just speak English”: settler colonialism’s impact on te reo Māori use by young Māori men, Settler Colonial Studies, 2024

15Dec24

Abstract: Globally, Indigenous languages face specific challenges to their revitalisation. In this article, I explore the ongoing barrier of settler colonialism to the revitalisation of te reo Māori (the Māori language). Through engaging in affective-discursive analysis of semi-structured interviews with twenty-two young Māori men, this article focuses on how young Māori take up or reject particular affective-discursive positions embedded in settler colonialism norms that discourage engaging with te reo Māori. I first explore how settler colonialism operates through the ‘choice’ to study (or not study) te reo Māori as an elective in English-medium schools. This analysis highlights how the ‘choice’ to not take the language is rooted settler colonial norms that frame te reo Māori negatively. Contexts that helped disrupt settler colonial attitudes about te reo Māori are then discussed. The roles of whānau (extended family), whānau-like collectives like kapa haka (Māori performing arts) groups, and conscientization are emphasised as formative to disrupting settler colonialism norms about te reo Māori. Lastly, I offer recommendations for te reo Māori language revitalisation, particularly as they relate to Māori youth.

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