Kia ora! Molweni! epitomises te reo and manaakitanga - Sharples

A cutural exchange between senior students from five kura kaupapa Maori, and their host families and schools in South Africa, epitomises the values of te reo Maori and manaakitanga, according to the Minister of Maori Affairs.

The visit was documented for television, and the series ‘Kia ora! Molweni!’ is to be screened on Maori Television later this year.

“You will see in the documentary, the generosity of the families who hosted our children, their welcome to strangers in their midst, and their willingness to share whatever they had,” said Dr Sharples.

“I am sure you will be impressed by our children, and the whole-hearted way they entered into the experience they were offered. They developed genuine relationships with all the people they met, and shared aspects of Maori culture with their hosts,” he said.

Speaking at the launch of the TV series at Parliament today, Maori Party MP Te Ururoa Flavell said it was tempting to skite about the leadership qualities of the students, and how well the students represented the kura kaupapa Maori movement – but that was not the Maori way.

“But it makes me feel confident to know that our future lies in the hands of young people like these, on both sides of the world,” he said.

Mr Flavell said the generosity of their South African hosts placed a cultural obligation on Maori to consider how best to reciprocate their manaakitanga.

‘Kia ora! Molweni!’ was produced by George Andrews Productions for Maori Television, with support from Te Mangai Paho. The trip was co-ordinated by Te Runanganui o Nga Kura Kaupapa Maori, with assistance from a range of government and non-government agencies.