Te reo Māori is an official language of Aotearoa New Zealand. Since 1975, New Zealand has celebrated an annual Māori Language Week, with seven days focused on its revitalisation.
Issue information
The Māori Language Commission and other advocates encourage daily use of Māori words, and many have become common among all Kiwis. Alongside other words and phrases, aroha, whānau, tāne and wahine are well used across Aotearoa.
$1.40 Aroha
Love, affection, respect, compassion, empathy. Aroha is best understood when it is broken down into its component parts, ARO - ‘take notice of ’ and HĀ - ‘ones essence or breathing’.
$2.70 Whānau
Family, to give birth to. ‘Ko au, ko te whānau, ko te hapū, ko te iwi - Me, my family, my relations, my people.’ Whānau sits at the heart of Māori communities.
$3.50 Tāne
Male, man, husband. ‘E moe ki te tāne ringa raupa – Marry a man with calloused hands.’ This whakataukī (proverb) suggests a desirable attribute for prospective husbands.
$4.00 Wahine
Female, woman, wife. ‘Mā te wahine, mā te whēnua, ngaro ai te tangata - For a woman, for land, man will give his life’ is a much spoken whakataukī.
Technical information
| Date of issue: | 2 September 2020 |
|---|---|
| Number of stamps: | Four gummed stamps |
| Denominations: | $1.40, $2.70, $3.50, $4.00 |
| Stamps, miniature sheet and first day covers designed by: | Dave Burke, Tauranga, New Zealand |
| Printer and process: | Southern Colour Print, New Zealand by offset lithography |
| Number of colours: | Four process colours |
| Stamp size and format: | 46mm x 35mm (horizontal) |
| Miniature sheet size and format: | 108mm x 90mm (horizontal) |
| Paper type: | Tullis Russell 104gsm red phosphor gummed stamp paper |
| Number of stamps per sheet: | 25 |
| Perforation gauge: | 14.286 x 13.895 |
| Special blocks: | Plate/imprint blocks may be obtained by purchasing at least six stamps from a sheet. Barcode blocks are available in A and B formats. |
| Period of sale: |
Unless stock is exhausted earlier, these stamps will remain on sale until 1 September 2021. First day covers will remain on sale until 28 October 2020. |
