When you start learning te reo Māori, fear of mispronunciation can be one of the greatest barriers to you actually speaking it. Rongo gives you an opportunity to practice in a private space without the pressure and fear of being judged or annoying or offending people.
Rongo is best for beginner speakers of te reo Māori as a tool to support their language learning journey. Intermediate and proficient speakers might still find it useful to see if they have formed any ‘bad habits’ along the way.
In the houses of learning of long ago, students would sit in the darkness while the tohunga (expert) would recite lines of genealogy that spanned many generations. The students would learn by focussing on the words, retaining that knowledge and practice by reciting it themselves. Rongo aims to recreate this experience.By stripping away the written word, you must focus on the sounds of the language and work towards reproducing them, without being influenced by what you have read and, therefore, your existing bank of sound knowledge
Like the whakatauākī of the late Te Wharehuia Milroy, a champion and master of te reo Māori, “Whakahokia te reo mai i te mata o te pene, ki te mata o te arero,' (Bring the language back from the tip of the pen to the tip of the tongue). To reach this goal of speaking te reo Māori, not reading or writing, Rongo can help overcome the barrier that fear of mispronunciation can create.
This can be a difficult process or method, but with patience and mindfulness you will master the sounds while also growing your confidence.
You will receive real-time feedback and be prompted to repeat and practice the words and phrases to improve your pronunciation. With over 230 phrases across 24 levels, you will master basic sounds and move to more complex sound combinations.
We encourage you to find a quiet, comfortable space to practice. For example, lie down on the couch with the phone resting on your chest and close your eyes. Or find that quiet spot in your garden, anywhere you feel relaxed. With Rongo, you can just focus on yourself, your learning, your journey.
Mā te rongo ka mōhio, mā te mōhio ka mārama, mā te mārama ka mātau, mā te mātau ka ora!
Through listening comes awareness; through awareness comes understanding; through understanding comes knowledge; through knowledge comes life and well being.
If you are an organisation that is interested in a customised experience and an app that uses words and phrases that are tailored to your industry, please feel free to contact us: awhina@rongo.app
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