Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: MÄ ori or te reo MÄ ori ( pronounced ) commonly te reo ( `` the language '' ) , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand , the MÄ ori , where it has the status of an official language .
Simplified: The MÄ ori language ( MÄ ori : Te Reo MÄ ori , shortened to Te Reo ) is the language of the MÄ ori and an official language of New Zealand .