Do the Maoris have their own alphabet?

The Māori language does not have its own distinct alphabet. It uses the Latin alphabet, the same one used in English and many other languages.

However, there are some important differences in how Māori uses the Latin alphabet:

* Macrons: Māori uses macrons (the horizontal line over a vowel) to indicate a long vowel sound. For example, "ā" is a long "a" sound, while "a" is a short "a" sound.

* Diacritics: Māori uses diacritics like the circumflex (^) to distinguish certain sounds. For example, "â" represents a different sound than "a".

* Unique letters: Māori includes the letters "ng" and "wh" which represent unique sounds not found in other languages.

So, while Māori uses the Latin alphabet, its unique pronunciation rules and use of diacritics give it its distinctive character.