MEDIA RELEASE - Vodafone has launched an online platform, developed with Google Maps, to give New Zealanders an opportunity to identify te reo Māori place names that are being mispronounced on Google Maps.

“Say it Tika” (Say it right, #sayittika), is launching ahead of Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori (11-17 September), giving Kiwis an important role to enhance the local pronunciation of global platform Google Maps.

From today, Kiwis will be able to go to www.sayittika.co.nz and pin the incorrectly pronounced te reo Māori place names they have encountered while using Google Maps.

To launch the website and spread the word about the initiative, Vodafone has released a tongue in cheek video featuring long time te reo Māori advocate Temuera Morrison calling for New Zealanders to help Google “Say it Tika” when pronouncing te reo Māori place names.

“We connect millions of New Zealanders to Google Maps every year and supporting Google to improve pronunciation in Aotearoa is an important way we can play a part in preserving the taonga (treasure) that te reo Māori is. It’s up to all of us now to put the mahi (work) in,” says Matt Williams, Vodafone New Zealand Consumer Director.

By getting involved and pinning mispronounced Māori place names, Kiwis will create a priority list for Vodafone, developed with Google, to update first.

These will be worked through in consultation with Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission), with te reo tika (correct) place names set to be heard on millions of phones from late this year.

Ngahiwi Apanui, Chief Executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission) says, “Our vision is to have te reo Māori resonate throughout the entire country. We want to see and hear te reo Māori everywhere - on the streets, in shops, in schools, on radio, on TV and online.

“We are proud to partner with Vodafone and Google Maps to further progress towards this aim in the Say it Tika campaign.”