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• In Event: From Histories to Horizons: Indigenous Language Sovereignty and Artificial Intelligence in Shaping Education's Future

Abstract

This paper examines the desexualisation of te reo Māori domains and argues for the revitalisation of Māori expressions of sexuality as a pathway to language and cultural resurgence. Pre-colonial Māori sexuality, expressed through idioms, pūrākau, waiata, pao, and harihari kai, reflected a worldview that celebrated intimacy and whakapapa. Colonisation and Christian morality, however, reframed these expressions as profane, silencing a rich body of mātauranga Māori. Drawing on Kaupapa Māori methodology, archival corpora, and interviews with te reo Māori experts and composers, this research analyses traditional and contemporary expressions of sexuality in te reo Māori. By “unforgetting” these histories, the paper argues that reviving these expressions can enrich te reo Māori, strengthen identity, and provide culturally grounded perspectives on contemporary sexuality discourse.

Authors

• Hona Black, Massey University

• Tomairangi Hipango, Massey University