Nineteen Communities Selected for Te Reo Towns Activation Fund to Boost Language Presence

Nineteen organisations across Aotearoa have been named as recipients of the Te Reo Towns Activation Fund, an initiative aimed at weaving te reo Māori into the fabric of everyday community life. Reported by Waatea News on Sunday, 16 August 2026, the fund supports a diverse range of groups including iwi, local councils, schools, and community organisations to make the language more visible and audible in public spaces. The recipients span the length of the country, from Kaitaia and Whangārei in Te Tai Tokerau to Invercargill in Murihiku, and eastward to Wharekauri in the Chatham Islands. Associated with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori – the Māori Language Commission, the fund seeks to move te reo beyond the classroom and into workplaces, local events, and ordinary interactions. According to the report, the goal is to create environments where the language is not only spoken but also heard, read, and normalised as part of the rohe. Local government participation includes the Masterton and Rangitīkei District Councils, while the education sector is represented by institutions such as Bayfield High School in Dunedin, Te Kamo High School in Whangārei, and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Rito in Ōtaki. The inclusion of groups like the Kawerau Youth Council and Te Kōhanga Reo o Reremoana Ruruhira in Napier ensures that both rangatahi and early learners are central to the activation efforts. Iwi and community leadership is also prominent, with successful applicants including Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust Board, and Te Rūnanga o Whaingaroa in Kāeo. By empowering local organisations to lead these efforts, the initiative ensures that language revitalisation is shaped by the specific whakapapa and needs of each community, providing more Aotearoa residents the confidence to use te reo Māori daily.