Kaitiakitanga topped a list of 223 words from 75 languages compiled by Babbel. The platform analyzed thousands of discussions across online language communities, and an international jury of linguists, writers and cultural experts selected the winner based on four criteria: sound, meaning, rarity and cultural relevance.
Rooted in the Māori world view, kaitiakitanga describes guardianship of the environment for present and future generations. It has no direct equivalent in most other languages. As communities around the world confront the effects of climate change, the word captures in a single term a value that many languages need whole sentences to express. This highlights the unique knowledge and worldviews embodied in Indigenous languages and underscores the importance of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
Language reflects our history, cultural identity and beliefs. Kaitiakitanga reminds us that we are interconnected with the world and have a responsibility to protect our environment. It encourages us to engage with our surroundings respectfully, recognising the interdependent relationship between people as kaitiaki and the world, and the importance of maintaining this balance for current and future generations.
Taumata TokiRepresentative of Ngati Rehua Ngatiwai ki Aotea
Babbel’s purpose is to create mutual understanding through language. The platform offers courses adapted to the learner’s native language and uses technology to make language learning more efficient and accessible. Beyond language education, Babbel promotes appreciation for linguistic and cultural diversity through public initiatives that encourage reflection on the richness and significance of languages worldwide.
The preservation of Indigenous languages is often framed as support extended to Indigenous peoples. Words like kaitiakitanga remind us that the exchange runs in both directions. Indigenous languages hold distinct concepts, values and ways of understanding the world, and their loss would impoverish everyone. Protecting them is central to the objectives of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022-2032). UNESCO leads the Decade by bringing together partners to promote the preservation, revitalization and use of Indigenous languages as vehicles of knowledge, culture and identity.
The United Nations General Assembly (Resolution A/RES/74/135) proclaimed 2022-2032 as the International Decade of Indigenous Languages to raise global awareness of the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote Indigenous languages worldwide. UNESCO’s Communication and Information Sector leads the Decade’s implementation in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) and other relevant UN Agencies.
