27/05/2023
This afternoon, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency unveiled a series of proposed bilingual traffic signs to be spread across Aotearoa New Zealand. Te Mātāwai is an independent entity dedicated to the revitalisation of te reo Māori, and their goal here is to make te reo Māori an integral part of our daily environments. They believe that using te reo Māori on traffic signs will make it visible at a community level, affirm its mana, and foster greater engagement.
The proposal covers 94 signs, including destination signs, public and active transport signs, walking and cycling wayfinding signs, and various advisory and warning signs. There's also a panel of te reo Māori experts, Te Pae Whakamāori, working tirelessly to propose the best translations for these signs.
Now, here's where you come in: this proposal is now up for consultation until 5pm, Friday 30th June 2023. I urge you to take part, to learn more about the programme and to give your thoughts. It's an excellent opportunity to contribute: https://nzta.govt.nz/about-us/consultations/he-tohu-huarahi-maori-bilingual-traffic-signs-consultation/
