A summary of the history of the Māori language

• Pre 1840 Māori is the predominate language in Aotearoa
• 1840 Signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori is the predominant language
• 1842 First Māori language newspaper is published
• 1850s Pakeha population surpasses the Māori population and Māori becomes a minority language
• 1867 Native Schools Act decrees that English should be the only language used in education of the Māori children
• 1913 99% of Māori school children are native speakers
• 1920 Sir Apirana Ngata urges Māori communities to continue using Māori language in the home, while also promoting English language education for Māori in schools
• 1930s Māori remains the predominant language in Māori homes and communities
• 1940s Māori urban migration begins
• 1950s Māori families are now living in predominantly Pakeha suburbs which affect the use of Māori language
• 1961 The Hunn report describes Māori language as a relic of ancient Māori life
• 1970s concerns Māori language see many Māori language initiatives develop
• 1980s Te Ataarangi, Kohanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa are established
• 1987 Māori language act passed in parliament, Māori declared to be an official language
• 1993 Māori Broadcasting-funding agency, Te Mangai Paho is established to promote Māori language and culture
• 1995 He Taonga Te Reo (Māori language year celebrated)
• 1996 Aotearoa television network broadcasts a trial free to-air television service in the Auckland area
• 1997 A total of 675 Te Kohanga Reo, 54 Kura Kaupapa and three Wananga are operating around Aotearoa
• 1998 Government announces funding for Māori television channel and increased funding for Te Mangai Paho