Speaking My Language Te Korero i Toku Reo

Aotearoa journalist, and Newshub TV presenter, Mike McRoberts’ refreshingly candid, rewarding, highly accessible and illuminating memoir is one of reconnecting with his Māori roots. Admitting the shame he felt at his disconnection from te ao Māori and te reo, McRoberts invites readers to join his journey to reclaim his heritage and language, embracing them as “taonga” - treasures central to identity. McRoberts’ writing has a relaxed tone, effortlessly fusing fascinating autobiographical detail and personal reflections with a call for others to reconnect to and cherish their cultural heritage. Doing so may not be easy but, as McRoberts observes: “There’s a well-known saying, ‘He pike, he heke’ – there are ups and downs. It reflects the idea that your learning journey, or indeed any journey, rarely follows a straight line.

- Adam Fresco

Speaking My Language is part memoir, part te Reo Māori exploration, woven together and anchored in whakatauki, rather than told linearly like a traditional life story. I loved the way Mike shared both stories from his life and his own journey learning his language, alongside really interesting and helpful tips and insights into te Reo Māori, and tikanga.

It’s a wonderful, engaging read - perfect for both Māori grappling with their own language journey, and for Pākehā who want to understand a little more about why, for Tanagata Whenua, learning their reo is so much more complex than simply signing up for a night class, and why for all of us here in Aotearoa te Reo Māori is a taonga to protect.