Jennifer Ward-Lealand shares her journey of learning te reo Māori and advocating for its importance

Jennifer Ward-Lealand, an actor and intimacy coach, began learning te reo Māori later in life, despite being exposed to it as a child. She felt compelled to educate herself after a moment on set in 2000 when she couldn't respond to Māori actors' songs. Ward-Lealand enrolled in night classes in 2008 while balancing work and family. She emphasizes the connection between te reo and the natural world, highlighting the beauty of its metaphors and proverbs. She acknowledges the challenges of learning the language, especially for Pākehā, who do not share the same historical trauma. In 2017, she was given the name Te Atamira, meaning "The Stage," to encourage her advocacy for te reo Māori. She aims to promote the language in her work and believes it is essential to start events with a mihi, honoring the indigenous language.