New partnership brings Kia Kaha te Reo Māori clothing to more New Zealanders

Te reo Māori is now even more accessible with Aotearoa New Zealand’s much-loved Kia Kaha te Reo Māori apparel available for purchase nationwide for the first time.

Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (the Māori Language Commission) is proud to announce a new partnership with one of the most recognised brands in Aotearoa, The Warehouse, to produce the 2024 Kia Kaha te Reo Māori hoodies and new kākahu.

The Warehouse is the first official apparel licensee, bringing the iconic hoodies, tees and new range to New Zealanders across 20 stores and online.

“Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori is really proud to have The Warehouse as a partner. Working together just makes sense, they are leading the way to normalise te reo Māori for all New Zealanders. The Warehouse has been a ‘friend of’ te reo Māori for a long time and you see this on their in-store signage and bilingual branding on many of their product lines,” says Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori Tumu Whakahaere (Chief Executive) Ngahiwi Apanui-Barr.

“Having an authorised Kia Kaha te Reo Māori range available to all New Zealanders this year, in The Warehouse stores and through their online store, means that for the first time anyone can purchase our kākahu without hoping to win a prize or ‘borrow one’ off a cuzzy. You better get in quick though because there’s only a limited number of stores with a limited collection e hoa mā.

“The Kia Kaha te Reo Māori branding has always been available for anyone to download and create their own gears. Whānau, kōhanga, sports teams and workplaces can still print their own stuff to celebrate te reo Māori – they just can’t sell them”, he says.

Te Taura Whiri has also partnered with The Warehouse to create exclusive limited-edition giveaways and gifts – these are in different colours to the on-sale range. Keep an eye on our socials for more on both ranges, says Ngahiwi.

“We’re excited to offer this special range of sweats in our stores to mark Māori Language Week. We love the hei tiki design and this range is a great way for us and our customers to support te reo Māori. As well as the hoodies, we’ve got tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts, and family tees – all at great value prices.

“We’re proud to be working with Te Taura Whiri. As a Kiwi company, te reo is important to us, our team, customers, and communities. We’ve been adding everyday reo to our private label products and packaging since 2019 so this apparel range is another exciting step for us”, Troy Rawhiti-Connell, Māori Development Lead, The Warehouse.

The limited collection of Kia Kaha te Reo Māori apparel range will be available across 20 Warehouse stores and online at www.thewarehouse.co.nz from 14 September 2024.

ENDS