Mauri or Mirage? The Status of the Māori Language in Aotearoa New Zealand in the Third Millennium

Maori is an Eastern Polynesian language developed in relative isolation over six or seven centuries from the initial human settlement of New Zealand, and in regular contact with English since the late 18th century. This chapter traces how the status of the language has been recognized and reflected in practice within and outside the Maori ethnic community since initial contact with external influences. The recognition of Maori as an official language should have given the language a status equal to English, yet it appears to be "planned inequality". "Language" and "culture" are often linked as the key factors in both Maori identity and Maori development. Those who give the revitalization of the Maori language the highest priority by establishing and supporting kura kaupapa Maori and wharekura seldom deny the importance of English as a language of wider communication, nationally and internationally.