Kia Ora! Hello! My name is Cosley Bruno. I am currently studying Communications at the University of Montana. During the fall semester of 2024, I had the opportunity to attend Massey University in Aotearoa, New Zealand. Kia Ora is a Māori greeting and is used widely throughout the country. My theme for the GLI is Culture and Politics and my focus abroad was bi-cultural societies and Indigenous policy. Spending six months in the Island Country, I was enhanced by the connections I made, in awe of societal norms created around the whenua (land), and it left me with a deeper appreciation for Pacific Nations.

My academic pursuits were immersive and complemented my efforts to learn outside the classroom. I took a Bi-cultural Psychology class highlighting Māori thinking paths, identity creation, and Hauora (interconnected well-being). I enjoyed this class because the teacher made it a point not to pit Western and Indigenous knowledge against each other but rather to see where they connect and where each of them could be uplifted by the other. This class helped me gain confidence in navigating multicultural societies with recognition, and respect while fostering a variety of interpersonal relationships I was able to make in New Zealand.

Māori carvings at the Pukeiti Gardens.

My Politics and Public Policy course was small enough that we decided to meet in the on-campus coffee shop for the latter half of our classes. I appreciated learning about New Zealand’s multi-party government, and it made me realize how removed I am from my political systems back at home. In this class we had the opportunity to take the train down to the capital of Wellington, to meet with members of parliament. One of the members we got to briefly see was Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke who is a certified girl boss! She is a twenty-one-year-old member of the Māori political party and one of the youngest women in parliament. Our trip occurred at a pivotal time for the NZ government. The coalition government had just introduced the Treaty Principals Bill, which was set to alter the Treaty of Waitangi, an agreement between Māori and Pakeha (foreign settlers), and the country’s founding document. Upon taking a vote for the bill to go through for a first reading, Hana Rawhiti Maipi-Clarke, who disagreed with the bill, took a stand, tearing the bill in half and performing the Haka. The Haka is an act that is done in groups to demonstrate a community’s power, pride, and solidarity, such as before rugby games or to celebrate weddings. She was penalized for her disruption but went viral as an inspiration to Indigenous communities around the world. Look it up! You won’t regret it! Her action incited a Hīkoi (a march) from the trip of the North Island to the bottom that ended in the capital. I got to see bits and parts of this Hīkoi, which showed me the Māori people hold a deep-rooted strength and are a force to be reckoned with. Both of these classes enhanced my theme greatly. Muli-cultural societies are healthy when they reflect their diversity within their governing bodies. Aotearoa, New Zealand does a beautiful job of making room for a spectrum of opinions and debates with their multi-party government. 
 

My government Class in Wellington meeting with members of the NZ parliament.

Maunga (Mountain) Taranaki. 

My experience abroad was a fusion of small-town immersion and road trips around the islands. One of my favorite experiences was my time in the Taranaki region. Many of the friends I made at school called this area home, so it was nice to connect their stories to places. On a hike up to the base of Mt. Taranaki, I was in awe of the Mountain. Its volcanic peak looks over the Western Coast of the North Island and on a sunny day, it takes up most of the sky. Sitting with this view was a sublime moment of feeling small in the presence of nature’s immensity. And it was a moment of recognition of all the historical triumphs and trauma, I learned in my classes, and which this mountain has stood to witness. This perspective encouraged me to further my commitment to sustainable tourism by choosing Māori owned businesses while traveling the country. This was a small but conscious act to support their economic well-being and their narrative while on their whenua (land).

Sailing in the Bay of Islands, where the Treaty of Waitangi was signed.

Aotearoa, New Zealand is a small country but they a leading example to the world of how Indigenous policy uplifts relationships to land and fosters connections within multicultural societies. My perspective has changed through conversations with peers, teachers, community members, and members of the NZ parliament. I am still working to unpack it all, but I am eager to walk forward with a broadened view of the life forces I encountered at the Southern end of the Pacific.