Andrew Baker is the Cultural Ambassador at Air New Zealand. He’s been with the company for some 19 years, having spent a lot of this time as a Flight Services Manager on board. Andrew’s new role is to educate new Air New Zealanders (many who are not Kiwis) about the values of the company and in particular maori culture. As a proud Maori himself, Andrew exudes the openness and generosity of spirit that he talks about. He visited us in London and taught the team how to do the Haka.
[flash http://www.youtube.com/v/o8ibQsGKxFw w=450]
And when we met him again in New Zealand he showed us he’s a man of many skills by playing us a traditional song on his guitar about new beginnings.
[flash http://www.youtube.com/v/iCFRXhPCsX0 w=450]
We also traveled with Andrew to visit the Waitangi Treaty grounds – the birthplace of the New Zealand nation. This is where a treaty was signed between the Maoris and the first English settlers in 1840.
The Waitangi grounds are beautiful and tranquil place containing a Maori meeting house. A meeting house is not a "church" but more of a "library". The carvings contained within reflect a verbal history rather than a written one. In Christchurch we visited a modern art gallery and saw a contemporary interpretation of a meeting house by a Maori artist.
