Māori Language Week

Celebrating Te Wiki o te Reo Māori: Fun Ways to Teach Your Tamariki Their First Kupu

Every September, Aotearoa comes together for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) — a week dedicated to celebrating and reviving te reo Māori across homes, schools, and communities. In 2026, Te Wiki runs from Monday 14 September to Sunday 20 September, under the theme Ake, Ake, Ake — A Forever Language, with this year's focus on Te Reo Towns: celebrating the communities keeping te reo alive and inviting the rest of the motu to join in.

For māmā and pāpā across New Zealand, this is the perfect week to bring a few simple Māori words into everyday life with your tamariki — starting with something every whānau uses daily: the days of the week.

Why Māori Language Week Matters for Kiwi Whānau

Māori language week isn't just for schools and marae — it's a chance for every whānau to bring a little more te reo into daily routines. Whether you're celebrating Māori Language Week for the first time or building on years of practice, small, consistent steps matter more than getting every word perfect. Children absorb language quickly through repetition, so weaving a few words into breakfast, bedtime, or the school run is often more effective than a single lesson.

Days of the Week in Te Reo Māori

One of the easiest and most practical places to start is the days of the week in te reo Māori. Once tamariki learn the pattern, the rest tends to click quickly — every modern day name begins with rā (meaning "day" or "sun"), so they only need to learn the second half of each word.

Here are the days of the week in Māori, using the modern Rā- forms recommended by Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission):

  • Rāhina – Monday (linked to Hina, the moon)
  • Rātū – Tuesday (linked to Tūmatauenga, god of war)
  • Rāapa – Wednesday
  • Rāpare – Thursday
  • Rāmere – Friday
  • Rāhoroi – Saturday ("washing day")
  • Rātapu – Sunday ("sacred day")

Why the Māori Days of the Week Changed

You may also come across an older set of Māori week days: Mane, Tūrei, Wenerei, Tāite, Paraire, Hātarei, and Rātapu. These are loan words, borrowed from the sound of the English day names, and were common in earlier generations. The māori days of the week meaning behind the modern Rā- set draws instead on Māori cosmology and everyday life — Rāhoroi (Saturday) literally means "washing day," a tradition dating back to early missionary influence, while Rātapu (Sunday) means "sacred day." Today, the Rā- forms are the standard taught in schools and used on most calendars, which is why many parents notice the māori days of the week changed from what they may have learned growing up.

A simple way to practise: say the day of the week in Māori every morning at breakfast, or add it to your family's whiteboard or calendar at home.

Fun Ways to Celebrate Māori Language Week with Tamariki

You don't need a classroom to make te reo part of the week. A few ideas that work well at home:

  • Say the day of the week in Māori each morning as part of your routine
  • Label a few household items with their Māori names
  • Sing a simple waiata together
  • Practise counting in Māori during bath time or car rides
  • Read a book together and swap in a few kupu Māori as you go

Pairing these small habits with the right learning toys NZ parents already trust can make the week even more memorable for pēpi and tamariki alike.

Bring Te Reo Home This September

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori is a reminder that language lives in everyday moments — at breakfast, in the car, at bedtime. Starting with something as simple as the days of the week is a small, achievable step every whānau can take together, no matter where you're starting from.

Explore BubsKart's Education & Learning collection for more learning toys NZ that make everyday moments with your tamariki a little more meaningful — this Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, and all year round.

Shop the full range at Bubskart — proudly serving whānau across New Zealand.

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