I usually don't like anything national. I'd rather have my individual anthem. But last Friday when I went to the local elementary school, I was so impressed by the national anthem of Aotearoa/New Zealand. Children sang them bilingually, first in Maori then in English. Many of them are foreign-born. In fact, a third of Aucklanders today were born overseas.
And they learn Maori in this fashion.
E Ihoa Atua
Onga iwi matou ra
Ata whakarongo na
Me aroha noa
Kia hua ko te pai
Kia tau to atawhai
Mana akitia mai
Aotearoa
The strength of OFFICIAL bi-culturalism.
