New research has shown a resurgence in interest in the Maori language. Thanks in part to education initiatives like kohanga reo and kura kaupupa, and a widening use of the language in broadcasting, a language that was thought to be nearly extinct in the 1970s is slowly reestablishing itself in Maori society. Twenty-five percent of Maori speak the language while only 1 percent of non-Maori speak the Maori language. A recent report said that 14 percent of the Maori population, over half of Maori speakers, said that they have spoken Maori in the workplace; 11 percent used Maori while socializing; 10 percent at sporting events and 5 percent while shopping. Although the Maori language is slowly making a comeback, Maori Language Commission chief executive Haami Piripi has stated that more needs to be done to ensure the survival of the Maori language. A majority of 68 percent of the Maori people agrees that the language should survive and be spoken in public.
