Published on : Tuesday, September 11, 2018
To quote Roberts, “Having your staff use a little bit of the language and getting to the point where it’s natural, not forced or put on. It’s not hard to say ‘mōrena,’ rather than ‘good morning.’”
He added, “Like the jet boat operator who, after spinning you around 360 degrees a few times, stops and tells you one of the myths from the local tribe about the taniwha that lives on the corner of the river.”
Roberts said that visitor response to Māori language was overwhelmingly positive, with rare exceptions.
Two years ago, Tourism Industry Aotearoa changed its name from the Tourism Industry Association of New Zealand. Roberts said that the rebranding was a statement about the importance of Māori culture.
Manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga have been widely adopted as guiding principles for the industry.
Roberts regularly introduces himself in Māori at industry gatherings and said he relied on his children to help him.
“For young people it’s second nature to them, which is great.
“We’re a Pākehā family but both my sons have done te reo since primary school and right through high school. They’ve helped me with my pronunciation.
“I’ve learned my own pepeha so I can explain who I am and where I have come from.”
Tags: Air New Zealand