"A publisher was “gobsmacked" to receive a complaint about using a Maori greeting in an email to a..."
A publisher was “gobsmacked" to receive a complaint about using a Maori greeting in an email to a prospective client.
A sales representative for Travel New Zealand sent an email to Queenstown clothing retailer Bonz requesting advertising support. The email began: “Kia ora …"
Bonz owner Bonnie Rodwell replied: “Sorry but why do we need to be addressed with Kia ora?
"Neither myself or [my office manager] speak Maori. Maybe more people would advertise with you if we were addressed with a little more respect. Whilst we have no issue with anything ‘Maori’ at all, we find it plain silly."
Travel New Zealand publisher Gary Cody says he was “absolutely gobsmacked" by Rodwell’s response last Thursday on the eve of this week’s Maori Language Week.
"I couldn’t believe that someone who relied on tourism is offended by that greeting," Mr Cody said. He had complained to the Human Rights Commissioner, he said. His staff use the greeting in all company emails and had never been criticised for inappropriateness.
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Disbelief at reaction to kia ora email - National - NZ Herald News (full story)
To clarify for those outside New Zealand, ‘kia ora’ is a very common Maori greeting. It literally means ‘be well’ and is used as you would use ‘hello.’ It has been used increasingly by non-Maori New Zealanders since the 1980s, and the only people I’ve ever heard criticise it have been the kind who grumble about ‘PC gone mad’ whenever they have to consider a point of view other than their own.
Oh, and ‘gobsmacked’ is a British expression meaning shocked and a little hurt, as if smacked in the gob (mouth).
(via airyairyquitecontrary)
What do people think? The client was using the “This is ‘murica, we speak ENGLISH" argument that drives me insane (replace ‘murica with NZ, obviously). But is the publisher showing respect to Maori culture and helping to acknowledge it, or is it appropriation?
