Honouring Te Reo Māori in NZSL How Community Guidance Shaped Kara's Use of Macron Indicators
- Kara Team
- Jul 1
- 5 min read
As part of a three-month trial with Auckland Transport, Kara Technologies is delivering New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) translations of live train disruption notifications through the Auckland Transport app for Auckland's Western Line.
To support the project, Kara undertook broader NZSL consultation and feedback sessions with Turi Māori communities across Aotearoa New Zealand, with support from Auckland Transport and the National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NFDHH). During these hui, Turi Māori community members brought an important topic to our attention and shared their knowledge and perspectives on language, accessibility, and the representation of Te Reo Māori within NZSL translations.
During these discussions, an important topic emerged naturally: how Te Reo Māori words containing macrons should be represented when fingerspelled in NZSL.
This was not a question Kara set out to answer at the beginning of the project. Rather, it arose through conversations with Turi Māori community members, who shared their perspectives on the importance of acknowledging macrons as part of respecting Te Reo Māori language and identity.
"It's important that Te Reo Māori signs are preserved forever and that traditional knowledge is maintained." – Turi Māori, Wellington
The discussions highlighted how accessibility is not only about providing information in sign language, but also about ensuring that language, culture, and identity are represented respectfully. These conversations became an important part of the project and helped shape our understanding of how NZSL translations can better reflect the languages and communities they serve.
"English documents don't always fit Te Reo Māori because the concepts and meanings can be completely different." – Turi Māori, Auckland
In Te Reo Māori, macrons indicate a longer vowel sound and form an important part of the language. They help preserve correct pronunciation and meaning and are an important feature of Māori language and identity.
As Te Reo Māori becomes increasingly visible throughout New Zealand, including within public transport networks, place names, public announcements, and public information systems, it is important that accessibility solutions also respect and reflect these linguistic features.
For Kara, acknowledging macrons is about more than technical translation. It is about respecting language, culture, identity, and the communities connected to them.
As conversations continued throughout the hui, participants discussed the importance of acknowledging macrons when fingerspelling Te Reo Māori words in NZSL.
Community members shared that recognising macrons was an important way of showing respect for Te Reo Māori and ensuring Māori words were represented accurately within accessible communications.
Many participants spoke about the importance of ensuring that accessibility solutions uphold the same level of cultural respect expected in written and spoken communication.
We would like to acknowledge and thank the National Foundation for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (NFDHH) for supporting these engagement opportunities and helping facilitate community connections.
We also acknowledge the leadership, expertise, and lived experience of the Turi Māori community members who generously shared their knowledge throughout this process. Their guidance has directly influenced decisions within Kara's translation system.
Throughout the consultation process, we observed some regional variation in how macrons were represented within fingerspelling.
For example, participants from the Waikato region demonstrated a slightly different approach from those shown in Auckland. While there were subtle differences in execution, both approaches shared the same underlying principle: recognising and respecting the presence of the macron within Te Reo Māori words.
These regional nuances reflect the natural evolution of language and community practice. They also reinforce the importance of consulting directly with communities rather than assuming a single approach exists nationwide.
“Waikato-Tainui uses double vowels, while other iwi uses macrons." - Turi Māori, Auckland
While approaches may vary slightly between regions, the importance of acknowledging and respecting Te Reo Māori remained a consistent theme throughout the discussions.
We recognise that representing macrons within fingerspelling is still a relatively new concept for many members of the wider Deaf community, and there is currently no single universally adopted approach across all regions of New Zealand.
Community members also highlighted the importance of recognising established NZSL place name signs that are widely used within Deaf communities today.
Where a well-known and commonly accepted NZSL sign exists for a location, Kara uses that sign rather than fingerspelling the place name.
"Some place names don't have a sign, so we use macron fingerspelling for the place name." - Turi Māori, Auckland
However, for locations that do not have a widely recognised NZSL sign, Kara fingerspells the name. Where the word contains a macron, Kara incorporates a macron indicator to acknowledge the long vowel sound and respect the integrity of the original Te Reo Māori word.
By taking this approach, Kara aims to balance respect for established NZSL language practices with respect for Te Reo Māori language and culture.
The inclusion of macron indicators within Kara's translations was not part of the original project scope. It is a direct result of feedback received during community consultation with Turi Māori community members and demonstrates how community engagement can meaningfully shape accessibility technology.
Rather than making assumptions about language use, Kara sought guidance directly from the communities who use NZSL and have deep connections to Te Reo Māori. The recommendations shared during these discussions have influenced how live disruption information is being delivered during the three-month Auckland Transport Western Line trial.
This is an example of consultation leading to a tangible outcome, where community knowledge has directly shaped the technology being developed.
While we observed slight regional variations, the Auckland Transport trial is being delivered on Auckland's Western Line. As a result, the implementation reflects the guidance shared by Auckland-based Turi Māori participants while recognising that other regional approaches also exist.
Where an established NZSL sign exists, we use that sign. Where no recognised sign exists, we fingerspell the word and acknowledge the presence of the macron.
However, throughout our consultation process, one message remained consistent: acknowledging Te Reo Māori matters, and recognising macrons is an important way of respecting both language and culture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
At Kara, we recognise that both language and community practice continue to evolve.
Our goal is not to define language standards or determine how NZSL should be used. Rather, our responsibility is to listen to communities, understand their perspectives, and implement solutions that reflect the guidance we receive as accurately and respectfully as possible.
We have also established an open feedback process throughout the duration of the trial to ensure community members continue to have a voice in the direction of the translations. Feedback will be reviewed regularly, and where appropriate, improvements will be incorporated into the trial. Updates and learnings will be shared throughout the process.
We recognise that language practices continue to evolve and that no single implementation will reflect every community perspective. Our goal is to listen carefully, act respectfully, and remain open to ongoing learning.
The inclusion of macron indicators within fingerspelled Māori words is one example of how community feedback directly shapes our technology.
We remain committed to ongoing engagement with Turi Māori communities, Deaf organisations, interpreters, educators, and language experts as our products continue to evolve.
We thank everyone who participated in the hui and shared their knowledge, perspectives, and experiences. Your contributions help ensure that accessibility and cultural respect go hand in hand, helping us build technology that honours both language and community.
Most importantly, we thank the community members who generously shared their knowledge, experiences, and perspectives throughout the process. Ngā mihi nui, Ka kite anō Many thanks and see you again soon
