Waiwhetu Marae

Last week I joined 11 others from the Auckland, Wellington, Tokyo, Mumbai, Bangkok, and London offices to be inducted (back) into Tourism New Zealand. We had an awesome three days learning about the different departments of the organization, and hearing from the Ministry of Tourism, a Regional Tourism Organization, and two tourism operators. On our first night we stayed on Waiwhetu Marae to experience traditional Maori culture first hand. I learnt how to introduce myself in Maori:

Tena kotou, tena kotou, tena kotou katoa. Ko Carly Mulqueen taku ingoa.
No Manaakitanga Aotearoa ki Tamaki Makau Rau taku tari. Ko Events Marketing Co-ordinator taku mahi. No reira, tena kotou, tena kotou, tena kotou katoa.

We also learnt a "waita" or song which sums up the two core values which Tourism New Zealand promotes:

Hutia te rito te harakeke
Kei hea te komako e ko
Ki mai ki ahau
He aha te mea nui o te Ao
Maku e ki atu
He tangata, he tangata, he TANGATA HI!

If we remove the centre of the flax where then will the Bellbird rest?
If I were to be asked what is the most important thing in the world?
I would say it is people, it is people, it is people!