Tāmaki Makaurau community connects through te reo Māori and waiata

A diverse rōpū in Tāmaki Makaurau is finding connection and peace through the power of waiata Māori. As reported by RNZ on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, the weekly classes at Selwyn Community Education bring together Māori reconnecting with their heritage alongside Pākehā and tauiwi to learn the language and local histories of Aotearoa. The akomanga is led by Eda Tang, a New Zealand-born Chinese writer who describes the initiative as her mahi aroha. Tang, who learned te reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, uses music to introduce students to Māori histories and stories she was taught by those who own them. For Tang, teaching the class is a way to koha back to the community and participate in language revitalisation—a cause she feels deeply connected to, having seen her own ancestral language of Cantonese become less spoken over time. Students in the class describe a profound sense of kotahitanga. Pākehā student Cameron Grant told RNZ that the Wednesday night sessions have strengthened his hauora, leaving him at peace, and remarked that the aroha in the room is just so amazing. Meanwhile, Italian couple Cecilia Carcano and Corrado Corda, who have lived in New Zealand for 15 years, view the language as a key to understanding the culture. Carcano noted that the waiata, many of which come from mana whenua Ngāti Whātua, provide a joyful way to learn history narrated by the people themselves. Corda, whose own indigenous roots in Northern Italy drew him toward Māori culture, described language as the heart of a culture. For Māori student Gina, who is in her 70s, the class represents a significant journey back to her Ngāti Porou whakapapa, which was not spoken about during her upbringing. She expressed being pleasantly surprised by the mixture of people in the room, noting that the diverse environment gives her a positive perspective on the future of te reo. Tang emphasizes that the goal is not vocal perfection but rather helping people connect with te ao Māori and letting the language live. By focusing on waiata, the rōpū transforms language acquisition into a shared experience that celebrates the indigenous beauty of the land while encouraging participants to overcome the fear of making mistakes in favor of cultural participation.