What a week! It is amazing how much a brain can absorb given the opportunity and right conditions. I feel like I've been wide awake and learning all week long. Our orientation included the following: (Click the links to learn more about the fascinating people who led these presentations and about the Marae.)
You can see that this orientation has given me the tools and connections I will need to complete my project. I am excited to jump into scheduling school visits this week!
- A snapshot of NZ Culture and History by Dr. Jock Phillips.
- An introduction to Maori language and protocols by Sir Tamati Reedy.
- An overnight stay at Waiwhetu Marae, where we slept communally in a Maori longhouse.
- A talk about the Peopling of the Pacific by Amber Kiri Aranui (scroll to second entry on link page), and her fascinating work as part of the repatriation team for the Te Papa Museum of New Zealand.
- An overview of the Treaty of Waitangi (a governing document of NZ and its interpretation is still being debated today) by Kura Moeahu who is a Maori cultural advisor.
- A visit to the NZ Parliment and a Q&A session with Green Party member, Dr. Kennedy Graham, and Professorial Fellow in Political Science Nigel Roberts.
- An introduction to NZ's flora and fauna by Dr. Ben Bell from the University of Victoria's School of Biological Sciences.
- A dinner hosted by a Fulbright Alumna. Our whole family was hosted by the Fulbright New Zealand Board Chair, Dr. Helen Anderson, and her husband, Michael. It was a delightful evening. We had a great deal to talk about, and the kids had fun in their (cold) swimming pool with a warm bath to follow.
You can see that this orientation has given me the tools and connections I will need to complete my project. I am excited to jump into scheduling school visits this week!
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