It’s been an interesting wiki in Aotearoa as the country has rung with the sound of te reo Maori. Notwithstanding the predictable angst from some corners (Tena koe, Don Brash! E pehea ana koe, Mike Hosking?) our collective celebration of te reo has been equally inspiring and thought provoking.

Take a bow - Mariam Arif, profiled on Seven Sharp the other night, 20 years in the country from her native Iraq, with the last two spent learning Maori to fluency; her young tama reciting his whakapapa in a glorious combination of Arabic and Maori was music to the ears.

Wellington yogi, Jase Te Patu, conducting an entire Vinyasa class in te reo and attracting 100 practitioners, 80 of whom were first timers to the studio.

TVNZ’s weatherman Dan Corbett, after a self-conscious effort Monday evening, rising like a Phoenix from the ashes the next night, confidently peppering his report with Maori.

Just a small sample, and they’ll admit it’s tricky, but their desire to karawhiua – give it a go - is strong.

The debate that ebbs and flows about the relevancy of te reo and Maori traditions will always continue. Ad nauseam we hear the same argument from the nay sayers, which is aging as sourly as they are. Similarly, it’s hoha that ‘compulsory’ and ‘Maori’ are continuously sentenced to appear in the same sentence. I, for one, get a bigger kick hearing about the voluntary uptake of te reo, and all around us this swell is increasing.

Because, in truth, the yay sayers realise there is nothing to defend anymore, and are instead quietly exercising their vocal chords in a much more powerful way: korero mai!

Probably about time I reignite my own efforts to speak my language – I know I’ll be in good company.