The Toitū Te Reo, Māori language and culture festival is transitioning into a charitable trust to ensure its longevity and sustainability.
The charitable trust announcement was made on the final day of the festival’s second year in Hastings.
Furthermore, it has been announced that a board of trustees made up of representatives of five iwi leaders will take the mantle as its inaugural trustees.
The festivals founder, Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod says the festival belongs to Aotearoa and the appointment of the new trustees reflects the sentiment.
“Toitū Te Reo is a celebration that belongs to the motu, and trustees are language champions from iwi all over the country.”
The five inaugural trustees include, Aperahama Edwards, Karepa Wall, Pānia Papa, Dr Hana O’Regan, and Dr Jeremy Tātere MacLeod.
However, questions loom as to the location of the next festival.
Financial struggles
This year marks the second year of Toitū Te Reo, hosted within Ngāti Kahungunu.
Economic struggles and financial hardships is what organisers say has lead them to pivot and to transition to a charitable trust.
Currently the festival is sponsored by organisations including, Te Mātāwai and Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated and Kauwaka.
MacLeod says moving to a charitable trust model, will ensure the event survives into the future, with less financial pressures falling onto their partners.
“It’s been incredible to come together and uplift our first language and culture for the second year running, but behind the scenes, we’ve faced tough economic conditions and were struggling to maintain institutional support. The charitable trust structure provides a more robust foundation for the festival’s operations and helps secure its future growth.
“Realistically, we can’t continue to lean as heavily on our valued sponsors year upon year upon year. The charitable trust model allows Toitū Te Reo to access new funding streams and establish a more stable governance structure,” he says.
Toitū Te Reo 2025
I ngā rā e rua e haere ana te kaupapa nei, inā hoki te tokomaha o te tangata i tae atu ki te whakanui i te kaupapa, ki te whakarongo ki ngā tāngata whakaaweawe o roto i te ao Māori, me te rongo hoki ki ngā reo waiata.
Ka mutu, e tūmanako ana a MacLeod kia nui ake te kaupapa i ngā terenga e rua kua mahue.
Hei tāna anō, kua mana te tū o ngā tarahitī hou, ā, kua eke te wā kia whakaū te kaupapa nei a Toitū Te Reo hei kaupapa ka whakanuia e ngā iwi mateoha nei ki te reo Māori.
“After two years of hard work to establish the festival and cement its place on New Zealand’s national events calendar, it’s time to enable a more sustainable pathway, and ensure Toitū Te Reo flourishes into 2026 and beyond!”
