e noho rā
I do hope I picked out a correct Maori version of farewell because there are apparently many ways to say goodbye in te reo, mainly depending on whether the speaker is leaving or staying. At the end of this course, I really feel like I am leaving New Zealand, although I have never physically been there. But for a little over three months, I had the privilege of mentally travelling around half the globe once or twice a week to a group of islands (or a continent?) I previously hadn’t spent too much thought on. As the weeks progressed, however, this shortcoming of mine was remedied to a degree: although New Zealand has the shortest period of human settlement of any landmass, it has a rich and singular history and culture, shaped by stories of immigration.
Maori, arriving from Polynesia, brought cultural influences of the Pacific islands, as well as crops like the South American sweet potato, with them. European immigrants later, brought their respective traditions from the “old world” as well as connection with the rest of the world through the British Empire and thus the British monarch as head of state (and, in a way, later on the whole blasted flag debate). Immigrants from Asia, similarly to their European counterparts, came for work and the hope of a better life. Thus this little country that is missing on quite a few maps is rather cosmopolitan in some respects.
However, since the cultural master narrative seems to be shaped by British immigrants, it does not seem as foreign and exotic in its societal structures as one could expect from the remoteness of its location from a European point of view. English, Maori and New Zealand sign language are official languages, the education is a little different, with less pressure than in European or American ones, but still recognisably similar, and the political system resembles that of Britain. Another thing New Zealand shares with Britain and France is a passion for rugby, but in terms of style and popularity, it has far surpassed both of them with their national team, the All Blacks, who, additionally, have made the haka world famous as well.
It’s been a very interesting and also entertaining time learning about the many aspects of New Zealand and I don’t really think I have done the course or New Zealand justice by this rudimentary attempt at a summary or revision, but it is as good as it is going to get this evening, with exams of less beloved subjects looming on the horizon. But maybe this is a good thing, leaving the question of New Zealand unresolved. It means, I don’t get to say goodbye. Instead I’ll say auf Wiedersehen.
