The official languages of New Zealand are English, Māori, and New Zealand sign language. English is what I have heard most commonly so far, but te reo Māori is often used for opening ceremonies and gatherings! Many people know how to introduce themselves in te reo Māori, and lots of streets, beaches, lakes, mountains, rivers, and bays have Māori names (just like in Hawaiʻi!) They also have Māori immersion programs for tamariki (children) here, just like pūnana leo in Hawaiʻi (here they are called kōhanga reo), and there are immersion classes for adults too! Do you want to learn how to introduce yourself in te reo Māori? This is called giving a pepeha. People who are tangata whenua (people of this land, Māori people) often start their pepeha by describing where they come from - what mountains, rivers, and oceans they come from, what waka (canoe) they come from, and then who their iwi (tribes) and hapu (subtribes) are. For those of us who are non-Māori, we can say things like where we are from, where we grew up, where we live now, and our names! To say your name, you can say, "Ko ____ au" or "Ko _____ taku ingoa." For me, I would say, "Ko Emily Lau au" (I am Emily Lau) or "Ko Emily Lau taku ingoa" (My name is Emily Lau).
