Air New Zealand is marking 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori with a full immersion flight between Tāmaki Makaurau and Tāhuna (Queenstown), celebrating te reo from take-off to touchdown.
Flight NZ635 is a te reo Māori-first experience. From the flight deck to the cabin, the crew delivers all announcements, greetings and waiata entirely in te reo.
Flight attendant Te Aorere Redmond (Ngāi Tūhoe), who is fluent in te reo Māori, was working as a ringa hāpai during Friday’s flight. He says the experience takes the language to new heights.
“Ko te reo Māori te reo tuatahi i runga i te rerenga. Kei te whiu atu tātau i te reo Māori ki ngā rangi tūhāhā.”
This is the second time Air New Zealand has delivered a fully reo Māori flight, following a 2023 charter for Te Matatini Herenga Waka Herenga Tangata. However, it is the first time a commercial service has been fully immersed in te reo.
Redmond has gained more than 17,000 followers on TikTok. He is known for his ‘day in the life’ videos that offer a behind-the-scenes look at his mahi. His content often features the phrase “Kia ora” and champions te reo Māori and Māori culture.
“He moemoeā mai i taku wā e pēpi ana au ki te mahi i Araraurangi.”
He says caring for people comes naturally, as these values were instilled during his upbringing in Ruatoki.
“Me kī, i te mea ko te manaakitanga tō mātau mahi tuatahi i runga i te marae.”
Redmond says the response from both passengers and kaimahi to the use of te reo Māori has been overwhelmingly positive. He believes its cultural value resonates with visitors to Aotearoa.
“Kei te haramai rātau ki Aotearoa ki te tirotiro i tō tātou ahurea Māori, nō reira he pai mō rātau ki te kite i a mātau e kōrero ana i roto i te reo, e heri ana i te wairua o te manaakitanga me te haumarutanga.”
Waiata echoed through Air New Zealand’s Auckland office this week as its kapa haka group prepared for the reo Māori flight. The smell of hāngi and fried bread filled the air, with Redmond likening the atmosphere to that of a marae.
“I te wā e haramai ana ki te kite i te whānau, he wairua o te manaakitanga kei reira.”
Redmond wears a special pin that shows he’s fluent in te reo Māori. He says more staff at the airline are speaking te reo, and while some are already fluent, many others are eager to learn more.
“He maha o mātou i konei e mōhio ana, e matatau ana ki te kōrero i te reo Māori. I tua atu i tērā, he maha o mātau e hiakai ana, e ngākaunui ana ki te heri i tō mātau reo ki tētahi atu taumata.”
@teaorere.redmond POV: Would rather be at Koroneihana, but gotta go to mahi ✈️ Packed and ready for Cairns… only to not get used 😅 Standby life — you never really know where you’ll end up! 🫨 #StandbyLife #FlightAttendantLife #AirNZ #DayInTheLife #Koroneihana
♬ original sound - Te Aorere Redmond
He huarahi whai oranga mā ngāi Māori
Redmond hopes to inspire more Māori to see themselves reflected in the aviation industry.
Coming from a rural background, he wants to show rangatahi and whānau that there is space for them in this industry too.
“Kia kitea ō mātau rangatahi katoa mai i ngā hau e whā o te ao katoa, mehemea Māori, Pasifika mai, kia kitea rātau i ō rātau kanohi e mahi ana i Araraurangi.”
He also hopes full immersion flights will become a regular part of aviation, not just during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.
“Kia whiua atu ki te ao katoa, kia kōrerohia ia rā i runga i ia rerenga, kia matatau hoki te marea katoa o Araraurangi ki te heri i tō tātau reo ki ngā rangi tūhāhā.”
