Tangata o le Moana Exhibition Official Opening Powhiri

I greet you all in the languages of the realm of New Zealand - English, Maori, Cook Island Maori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language.

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni and as it is the morning and the sun has risen (Sign)

May I specifically greet you: John Judge, Chair of the Board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa; Dr Seddon Beddington, Chief Executive; Hon Winnie Laban, Associate Minister of Pacific Island Affairs; Peter Dale, Chief Executive of the New Zealand Charity Trust; Distinguished Guests otherwise; Ladies and Gentlemen.

In the context of this morning's function may I also add the following greetings: Talofa lava; Malo e lelei, Ni sa bula vinaka, Kam na mauri, and Talofa.

Thank you for inviting my wife Susan and me to attend the opening of this new exhibition, Tangata o le Moana at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa this morning.

I would like to take this opportunity to outline the importance of Pacific peoples to New Zealand, my connections with the Pacific and the important role Te Papa plays in acknowledging New Zealand's diverse ethnic and cultural communities.

New Zealand is a nation of migrants. Some travelled from canoes from Polynesia.  Some travelled in sailing ships and steamers from Europe and Asia.  Others came in ships and aeroplanes from the Pacific and Asia.  As noted New Zealand historian, the late Dr Michael King said:

"In a country inhabited for a mere one thousand years, everybody is an immigrant or a descendent of an immigrant."

That increasing diversity is enriching New Zealand's society, culture and economy.  The last Census revealed that more than 22 percent of New Zealanders were born overseas, a significant increase on five years earlier.

A hundred years ago, almost all of those foreign-born New Zealanders hailed from Britain or Ireland.  By last year, that had dropped to 28 percent.

One of those groups of immigrants have been those from New Zealand's Pacific neighbours, which now account for almost seven percent of our population.  Of the almost 266,000 people who identified as being Pacific origin, most were from six major island groups—Samoa; the Cook Islands; Tonga; Niue; Fiji; and Tokelau.

New Zealand's relationship with its Pacific neighbours and its Pacific immigrants, has had both its high and low points, which are well known and are outlined well in this exhibition.

Suffice to say that New Zealand's Pacific peoples are now recognised as a vibrant and colourful part of what makes this nation so special.  Pacific peoples have made a significant contribution to New Zealand's economy, its art, literature and creative industries and its sporting prowess.

Those links have been reinforced for me during my first year as Governor-General.  During that period, I have visited Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands—which are part of the Realm of New Zealand—as well as holding community receptions at either Government House in Auckland or Wellington.  Minister Laban, who is here this morning, accompanied me on the visits to Tokelau and Samoa.

I have also visited Samoa and held a reception for the Samoan community at Government House in Auckland.  This year is not only the 45^th anniversary of Samoa's independence from New Zealand, but also of the Treaty of Friendship between our two nations.  The Treaty is special as neither nation has signed such a document with any other country.

Those events have reinforced to me the strong diplomatic, constitutional, economic, social and cultural ties between New Zealand and the Pacific. 

The Pacific is also special to me for personal reasons.  While I was born here, both of my parents were born in Fiji.  I also have Samoan relatives living in American Samoa, and my recent visit to Samoa provided the opportunity for a private visit to see them and visit family graves.

This exhibition then is an opportunity to celebrate the significant contribution of Pacific peoples to New Zealand.  Quite rightly, it is a significant exhibition that will be on display for many years.  As an aside, I am advised that I am one of the "artefacts" in that I appear in exhibition, appearing in a video describing growing up in Auckland as the child of a Pacific immigrant.

The exhibition also reflects Te Papa's commitment to representing the rich tapestry of New Zealand's ethnic diversity.  In addition to this exhibition, it has also featured shorter-term exhibitions on the Italian and Indian communities and is currently showing an exhibition on Scots in New Zealand.

In conclusion then, I wish to congratulate everyone involved in bringing this exhibition to fruition, from the board and staff of the museum, to the sponsors and the significant contribution from the various Pacific communities. 

I will now close in Maori by issuing greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.

Upstairs at the opening on the exhibition floor:

Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni, Talofa lava; Malo e tau lava and Bula vi naka.

Thank you again for inviting me to officially open this significant exhibition.  I will do so by repeating the words of my predecessor Sir Keith Holyoake, who told the United Nations more than 30 years ago:

"We are a multi-racial society . Some might see this cultural diversity as a liability, or as a source of friction. We do not. It is a strength."

It is with great pleasure that I officially declare this exhibition, Tangata o le Moana, open.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa