Local Hospitality

One of the things I’ve noticed is how different NZ is from Oz in terms of the locals – and by that I mean the original locals rather than the settlers. Almost straightaway, I noticed Maoris working alongside settlers in ‘normal’ jobs, something you very rarely see in Sydney. There’s also an evident pride in Maori language and culture, amongst all New Zealanders – again, something decidedly absent from mainstream Aussie culture. You’re lucky to see an Aboriginal in a crowd scene in an Aussie ad, and as for the language, I once asked an Aussie girl why they didn’t learn Aboriginal languages at school. “Do they have a language?” she asked without a trace of irony.