Te Wiki o te Reo Māori ~ Kaitaki

In celebration of Māori Language Week 11th - 17th September across Aotearoa, we are sharing the story and meaning behind the kupu/word: Kai-taki.

Kai - taki *(not to be confused with Kai-ti-aki)

In celebration of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori @reomaori / Māori Language Week: 11th - 17th September we wanted to share the story behind the kupu / word - Kaitaki.

We often hear people confuse the term with ‘Kaitiaki’ - a guardian (of the environment) - but the word ‘Kaitaki' (without the extra ‘i’) is different and has a unique and very special meaning.

The word itself was gifted to us by Dr. Hana O’Regan of Ngāi Tahu, a Māori language advocate who has spent her career working in language revitalisation.

'Kaitaki' reflects the ability of this group of individuals to lead the way for what comes next.

In Te Reo Māori the kaitaki can be leader of the kapahaka group, or the person at the front of the waka - the one who delivers a heralding call, responsible for mobilising others into action and leading with strength.

Our Kaitaki are people who are deeply engaged in the kaupapa, in their own unique ways, further connecting people to our land and ocean through our food.

Their voices play a crucial role in the future of kai/food in Aotearoa. There are now over 135 Eat New Zealand Kaitaki.

We can’t wait to see what this new cohort will contribute to the Aotearoa Food Story.

Stay tuned over on our Eat NZ Instagram as we introduce you to each of them…

#EatNZKaitaki #EatNZ #Kaitaki #ReoMāori