Kapu Kawhe Kōrero!

How about ordering your morning coffee, or your green tea, in te reo?

I came across an article this week about a language initiative taking place at the Green Door Cafe in Taranaki.

Every Monday, a group of te reo students meet at the cafe, place their order in te reo, and practice speaking te reo together.

To help out, the Cafe has come up with a translation of the most common orders.

It goes something like this:

Kaihari Kawhe (barista) : He aha māu? (what would you like)

Koe (you): he rāte māku, kia ora (a latte for me, thanks) OR

‘kei te piringi ahau tetahi tī kakariki’ (I would like a green tea).

Simple.  I need to do more of this myself – ordering in te reo, and then sitting with a friend and speaking as much te reo as possible (more on that in another blog to come).

Photo RNZ/Robin Martin

As for the Cafe – Te Tatau Pounamu – it might just have a green door, or it could be named after a song – anyone been there?