This article briefly overviews the struggles to regenerate the Māori language during the period from the early 1970s to the present. On 14th September 1972, the Te Reo Māori Petition was presented to Parliament. It contained over 30,000 signatures. The event represents a major turning point in the struggle to save the Māori language from extinction. It is from this petition that Māori Language Day, Māori Language Week, and many other strategies and events to revitalise the Māori language arose. While there were many organisations involved in the struggle, this paper focuses particularly on the contributions of Ngā Tamatoa and the Te Reo Māori Society. In addition, the paper discusses the seminal research of Dr. Richard Benton; the subsequent development of Māori language in and outside the education system; intergenerational mother-tongue transmission in the home; and radio and television broadcasting. Although it is noted that surveys carried out by Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry for Māori Development) indicate that there is a rise in the number of speakers of Māori, as well as a rise in the support by mainstream New Zealanders for the Māori language, some concerns are raised over the quality of grammar and pronunciation being used in on-air broadcasting today.