Queenstown Times: What does Maori Language Week mean to you?
Elias Lilo: "It's part of national awareness; you have Maori Language Week and Matariki and they pop up in the mainstream. It's great because it gives everyone of whatever nationality [a chance] to have a go."
Corinne Dix: "We've got such a diverse lot of people that live in this country, but [it's about] going back to roots."
Gladys Henderson: "It's changed as well, because when we grew up, the [second] language that you would be taught was [mainly] French. It's more accepted these days."
Sheree Horomona: "When I was growing up, I didn't even know there was a week for Maori language. It is coming out a lot more and you're not as shy to share your language."
QT: Do you think Queenstown is a bicultural town?
Elias Lilo: "No, it's multi-cultural. I think being Kiwi as we are and even from a Maori perspective, we're quite welcoming. It doesn't matter where you come from, everyone just gets on."
Gladys Henderson: "I agree, because when working in business, people will ask you, `Are you Asian?', or, `Are you Brazilian?' And when you say you're Maori, they'll say, `Oh, we didn't know there were any Maoris in Queenstown'."
Sheree Horomona: "I'd have to say multi-cultural too, because I have a lot to do with the kapa haka groups in schools and we have lots of Brazilian kids, lots of Asian kids and lots of non-Maori kids, as well as our Maori kids."
Corinne Dix: "Being in the schools, you notice it a lot, how many different nationalities we've got and it's good. There's Brazilian children learning Maori and Maori songs that are going to stay with them."
Gladys Henderson: "When you go back to the North Island, it's Maori and non-Maori. Down here, we're used to having multi-cultural friends and the huge diversity of it."
Sheree Horomona: "Four out of 20 adults taking Te Reo classes were Maori ... There are 1300 Maori that live in this area and you wouldn't know it to walk around. Up north, you're able to cling together in whanau, or family groups, and here because we're all different, it makes it more difficult to come together as a stronger community. There's no marae to bring us together."
QT: What is your reaction to a Wanaka Community Board member who, earlier this month, questioned why new streets in a Wanaka subdivision should be given Maori names "because they're too hard to pronounce"?
Corinne Dix: "I think it's sheer ignorance on his behalf, very small minded and very lazy."
Gladys Henderson: "I've been researching for my son and his ancestors were among the very first white settlers in Otago and they established Milton. I was reading their diaries and it's quite funny. They mention, `why are we calling our streets English when we came here to New Zealand to establish a new life?'."
Sheree Horomona: "When you go to another country you expect to see their languages in their streets, so when somebody's making comments like that . . ."
QT: Does New Zealand need a new flag?
Elias Lilo: "I'm on the fence. It needs a bicultural flag. I think it's fine as it is, for now. When the time comes and something crops up that takes everyone, then that's the time our flag changes. But there's no use to force a change."
Sheree Horomona: "In Aussie, they probably associate more with that [silver fern] flag."
Gladys Henderson: "They've got two flags and we've all got different flags we identify with. It's for the whole of New Zealand to change the flag."
Elias Lilo: "I like the Tino Rangatiratanga flag, but it's too staunch."
Corinne Dix: "And it's been used in the wrong places, that's the problem ... Imagine if Wanaka was going to name one of their streets that."
