Hundreds of people have posted messages of support for 3News weather presenter Kanoa Lloyd who has revealed she has been criticised by viewers for her use on air of Maori language.
Lloyd has taken to Twitter to talk about the resistance to Te Reo Māori, saying it was a weird part of her job to get weekly complaints about her using Māori words in the weather report.
Lloyd, who started working for the channel five months ago, said she was surprised by the backlash to her using the language and said there seemed to be a range of issues among some viewers.
“I think some people are also a bit challenged by the fact that I sometimes I refer to the North and South islands by their Māori names; Te Ika-ā-Māui and Te Waipounamu, and I say 'Kia Ora'. I try to use kupu [words] in that format as much as I possibly can.”
Māori Language Commission acting chief executive Poia Rewi said presenters speaking Māori was the best way to normalise and revitalise the language.
“Anything that's not normal isn't perhaps accepted as easily. The media has a significant role in protecting the language as well. It's easily achieved, or more achievable through the media because for example, in television it's visible every day so it becomes more normal.”
Some Māori culture seemed to be more accepted than others - like Poi E, and the globally renowned haka. And yet some people were uncomfortable with Lloyd calling New Zealand Aotearoa.
3 News was pledging to continue using Te Reo in its broadcasts and Lloyd said the broadcaster was supportive of keeping Te Reo alive.