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Google it - in Maori!
Potaua Biasiny-Tule (left) and Ashley Gorringe at the launch of Google Aotearoa. PICTURE: KELVIN TEIXEIRA
by Greg Taipari greg.taipari@dailypost.co.nz
Potaua Biasiny-Tule says launching Google Aotearoa in his home town of Rotorua was an emotional moment for him.
Mr Biasiny-Tule was humbled by a standing ovation by more than 200 people who gathered for the official launch of the new website at Te Wananga o Aotearoa School of Performing Arts yesterday.
Mr Biasiny-Tule and his wife Nikolasa worked with more than 40 other people to develop a Maori-language version of the internet search engine Google in an effort to encourage more Maori to use the net. He said it was no coincidence that the launch coincided with Maori Language week.
Mr Biasiny-Tule, of Tuhoe and Ngati Pikiao descent, is learning Maori himself. His wife is Puerto Rican and runs their online Maori media business.
It was a proud and tearful moment for the husband and wife team when the website went live at 11.02am.
For more than a year the pair worked on translating more than 8750 words which enables anyone to navigate the Google interface in te reo Maori - all the words, messages, buttons and advanced search fields are now in Maori.
"It occasionally did our heads in. There were a few controversial ones, especially with dialects, so we had to come to common agreement."
Huhana Rokx, chief executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori (the Maori Language Commission) said fluent and native speakers were able to search and access online content and connections in te reo Maori.
"The needs of our people particularly rangatahi (modern youth) demand such a response - their world is digital media."
Google spokesman Ashley Gorringe said Google was excited to get behind such a worthwhile project.
"More than 117 languages have been translated on Google and we are proud to have the Maori language as part of the team."
Potaua Biasiny-Tule says launching Google Aotearoa in his home town of Rotorua was an emotional moment for him.
Mr Biasiny-Tule was humbled by a standing ovation by more than 200 people who gathered for the official launch of the new website at Te Wananga o Aotearoa School of Performing Arts yesterday.
Mr Biasiny-Tule and his wife Nikolasa worked with more than 40 other people to develop a Maori-language version of the internet search engine Google in an effort to encourage more Maori to use the net. He said it was no coincidence that the launch coincided with Maori Language week.
Mr Biasiny-Tule, of Tuhoe and Ngati Pikiao descent, is learning Maori himself. His wife is Puerto Rican and runs their online Maori media business.
It was a proud and tearful moment for the husband and wife team when the website went live at 11.02am.
For more than a year the pair worked on translating more than 8750 words which enables anyone to navigate the Google interface in te reo Maori - all the words, messages, buttons and advanced search fields are now in Maori.
"It occasionally did our heads in. There were a few controversial ones, especially with dialects, so we had to come to common agreement."
Huhana Rokx, chief executive of Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Maori (the Maori Language Commission) said fluent and native speakers were able to search and access online content and connections in te reo Maori.
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"The needs of our people particularly rangatahi (modern youth) demand such a response - their world is digital media."
Google spokesman Ashley Gorringe said Google was excited to get behind such a worthwhile project.
"More than 117 languages have been translated on Google and we are proud to have the Maori language as part of the team."
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