Speech
Opening of 2008 China Beijing Olympic Sculptures Exhibition
Tihei mauriora! Te whare atu nei tenakoe! Te rohe o Tairawhiti e takoto nei tenakoe! E nga awa o te moananui a kiwa tenakoutou ! E nga kuia karanga tenakoutou! E nga rangatahi e nga hine tenakoutou kapai te tikanga ! E te kaihautu o te apotoro tena korua! Te Kaiwhakahaere Your Worship Meng Foon Tenakoe! E nga rangatira e nga whaea o Te Tairawhiti tenakoutou ! E nga manuhiri tuarangi o China tenakoutou! E nga rangatira, nga whaea, nga koro ma tenakoutou tena koutou tena koutou katoa!
Translated:- "Let there be life! Greetings to this house, this land and rivers and sea. Greetings to those who have received the visitors - the women, the warriors and the singers. Thank you for your spirit in so doing. Greetings to the orator and the priest who began proceedings. Greetings to the Mayor and Councillors of the Gisborne District Council. Greetings to the visitors from China. Greetings to everyone present".
Your Worship the Mayor Mr Meng Foon, Councillors, Visitors, and Ladies and Gentlemen. May I please add congratulations and best wishes for the singular event that is being commenced today. Behind it stand a number of things that bear mention. The first is that of sport being a part of what can be described as the lifeblood of our country. New Zealanders both participate in and watch sport in great numbers.
Secondly, the Olympics represent the highest levels of participation achievement and watching of sport and such will be the case in Beijing 12 months from now when New Zealand will be there doing its very best in a great many events.
Thirdly is the matter of the artistic endeavour also being part of everyday life and the commissioning of art works of sculptures being part of the international endeavour commenced by China the hosts of the Olympic Games next year.
It should also be mentioned that China and New Zealand have been friends for 35 years because in 1972 New Zealand was one of the first countries to recognise The Peoples Republic of China and we have had warm relations as countries ever since. There is evidence in the last 72 hours of this in the form of the talks between President Hu Jintao and our Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Helen Clark.
Lastly there is the compliment offered by China and the Olympic Organisation to New Zealand and to Gisborne for establishing this city as a place where the Exhibition can be on display for three weeks, one of a very few places in the world that have been granted this permission.
It is a matter, Your Worship, Meng Foon, where you and your colleagues can take pride in all that has been achieved. All the very best. No reira tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.