Te Reo Warriors - Shorty Stars Kiwi Mana

The besties speak up for their culture.

- Fleur Mealing

Pop your head into a typical dressing room on the set of Shortland Street and you’ll find castmates hanging out, learning lines or taking a quick nap.

But there is one room where things are a little more exciting. Best friends, co-stars and roommates Ngahuia Piripi and Awhimai Fraser are changing things up by only speaking to each other in te reo Maori.

“We’ve bonded over our love of te reo,” explains Ngahuia, 28. “Our love for not just our language, but the culture, our people and who we are.”

“It’s not just a language – it’s a way of living,” adds Awhimai, 23. “That’s why I love it so much and that’s why it changed my life.”

The self-described “Girls of Room Three” are on a mission to help normalise the use of their native tongue, especially during Maori Language Week (September 10-16).