Mapping a pathway in Te Reo

Massey University student Suraya Goss completed her degree writing all assignments and exams in te reo Māori. Now she’s doing the same for her Masters.

In 2021, she completed her Bachelor of Arts in Mātauranga Māori, or Māori knowledge, and she is now in her second year of postgraduate studies focused on the same subject. She plans to finish this year.

Again, she has chosen to complete her Masters, including her thesis, writing in te reo.

“I set myself that challenge and just want to carry on with that throughout my university pathways. My thesis topic is based on the language, so I wanted to add to that. There’s not a lot of research literature around the topic I’m doing,” says Suraya (Te Ātihaunui-aPāpārangi, Te Ātiawa).

“By writing in te reo Māori, I hope it will add to the significance.”

Suraya says she’s not the first to complete her course work in te reo. “There have been plenty before me. Although we are seeing a growing number especially in postgrad, it’s still uncommon for students transitioning into the tertiary space to know that they are able to use their reo and complete their degrees in te reo Māori.”

She hopes that through her thesis and by writing in te reo Māori, she can bring awareness, enhance the use of and highlight the indigenous language of Aotearoa at tertiary level.

Another hope is that her commitment to writing in te reo will inspire other students to do the same.

“Anyone is able to do it if they want to. I really encourage our tauira Māori to use their reo.”

Her thesis topic could also help others.

“I continued with that fire in my belly to keep wanting to learn.”

At the end of year 10, Suraya was pretty much fluent. “I spoke it every day, I heard it every day, predominantly at school.”

From a whānau of six, Suraya says they are all on their own reo and whakapapa journeys.

“Although te reo Māori wasn’t the first language in our whare, tikanga Māori and respect towards whakawhanaungatanga were constantly a part of our upbringing. My whānau have always been hugely supportive in my studies and everything all the way through, and I couldn’t be more grateful to my parents and siblings.”

Suraya has also had help from Te Āti Hau Trust, receiving grants and scholarships from high school through to university. This year she received a post-graduate grant from the Trust.

“It’s been a massive part in supporting me in my academic journey, in terms of relieving financial stress, supporting tuition and course fees, textbooks, technology requirements and even petrol funds to get to and from university every day,” she says.

“For us, as uri of Āti Hau, we are extremely lucky to have the support and awhi from our iwi.”

As well as studying, Suraya is a netballer. She plays for Ikaroa ki te Raki Māori Netball and is a rep player. She has been selected for the latest Manawatū open women’s team, and, in September, captained the Massey University Netball team at the UTSNZ Tertiary games held in Wellington.

She usually takes the court as wing attack, centre or wing defence.

“I’ve always loved netball from when I was young and as I have gotten older it has been an outlet for me outside study and school.”

Kapa haka remains a passion, and while Suraya would love to get amongst it again, her hopes for that have been sidelined so she can concentrate on her studies into mātauranga Māori and make the most of playing sport while she can.

Her focus is to research, use and celebrate te reo Māori through her Master’s thesis and to help others do so, too.

“My motivation was to re-instill this taonga within my whānau with the hopes of breaking intergenerational cycles, and pave the way for future generations to come,” Suraya says.