Passengers Maxine Graham, Olivia Hall, Hana O'Regan, Faith Tupara and Urukahinga Rei with Air Ruatōria chief pilot and manuhiri Officer Mahanga Maru early this year.
Passengers Maxine Graham, Olivia Hall, Hana O'Regan, Faith Tupara and Urukahinga Rei with Air Ruatōria chief pilot and manuhiri Officer Mahanga Maru early this year.
Mahanga Maru is a pilot.
He’s also the chief executive, founder, manager and just about everything else at Air Ruatōria.
He established the airline five years ago.
Air Ruatōria operates scenic and charter flights and has two five-seater Cessna 206s and one four-seater Cessna 172.
Maru has hadstints in many parts of the aviation sector and is also a pioneer in the use of te reo Māori on aircraft.
Now he’s promoting use of the language in aircraft safety briefing cards.
At this week’s Aviation Industry Association (AIANZ) summit at Tākina in Wellington, Maru has been encouraging other operators to consider embracing the language more.
Air Ruatoria's bilingual safety briefing cards. Photo / John Weekes
No matter what politicians say, Maru is adamant more Kiwis from all races want to learn te reo.
“Te reo Māori is part of who we are. There’s a genuine willingness with Kiwis to speak te reo. I see younger generations embracing te ao Māori [the Māori world].”
His bilingual safety briefing is no gimmick.
Many people in and around the East Coast are fluent in te reo.
Besides, numerous other public transport operators have bilingual safety briefings.
“Kahu kautere” is lifejacket and “putanga ohorere” means “emergency exit”.
As for the signs reminding you not to smoke, well, they’re a universal language.
Maru said te reo was unique to this country and could enrich people’s lives.
“It’s not my language. It’s our language.”
Pilot’s journey
There has been much talk at this week’s aviation summit about attracting school leavers and other young people to the sector.
But concerns have also been raised about student loan debt and skills shortages.
