The Nga Manu Speech Contest has grown to be one of the biggest and most positive events for New Zealand secondary school students where competitors articulate their thoughts and aspirations in both Maori and English. The contest is acknowledged as an avenue that enhances language and cultural development amongst Maori youth, yet no formal investigation has been launched to ascertain whether Nga Manu Korero contributes to the revitalization of Maori language, customs and cultural competencies. The purpose of this paper is to share the results of a research project that focused on Nga Manu Korero, the findings pertaining to cultural revitalization, their application at regional and national level, and how they affect Maori students, teachers, and communities.