[1979vanessa]

I've just been emailing my manager in New Zealand to arrange a start date for my new job. She's responded to say "We have a process here where you will need to be officially welcomed to the office". Does anyone know what this might involve?!

[peebles16]

Don't work for Ministry of Ed but it's possibly just your induction?? Or could it be powhiri - traditional Maori greeting/welcoming ceremony? I'd just ask what it'll entail to be honest :yes

Karenx

[Sam B]

Ha ha, welcome to the wonderful world of the mihi whakatau, slightly overwhelming when you're just off the plane, to say the least.

Get your manager to fully explain this to you and tell you EXACTLY what is expected of you. It will help to know what to wear (skirts are traditional) and to get her to email all the song words to you in advance, so you don't look like a complete plonker like I did. Expect to touch noses with all your senior managers and have lots of hugs.

You get used to it.

[Chiba]

...and it'll help if you're not an Atheist. :rolleyes:

[Duncan74]

..Ah, the infamous NZEd naked quad run. That's what put me off working there. And I don't like honey at the best of times.

[pleccy2000]

..ah, the infamous nzed naked quad run. That's what put me off working there. And i don't like honey at the best of times.

lmao!

[rupicola]

Expect to touch noses with all your senior managers and have lots of hugs.

You get used to it.

When I was working in Brussels, everybody used to kiss their colleagues every morning - or at least shake their hands, if they weren't kiss-proof :D

[mgf]

It will be your powhiri. If you have any family coming with you usually you can bring them along as well it is nice ceremony and morning tea afterward.

[Deb&Andy]

It will be a powhiri - a traditional Maori welcome. The MOE is big on this. Any opportunity for a sing song and morning tea! The manager will guide you through the process. Basically - they welcome you in Maori and sing a song, you are invited to do the same. Fine if you are a Kiwi but a bit strange for us Brits. Might be worth having a bit of a script about who you are, where you come from and how excited you are to be there. Bring your family along too - although mine refused! Everyone will kiss/press noses - they will bless the food and then tuck in. I'd wear a skirt - black if possible.
Good luck. The MOE is like nowhere else I've worked!

[Familyofmonkeys]

So what happens with people who aren't touchy feely and don't feel happy about all that?

[Sam B]

Tough titty, you just have to grin and bear it. I hated it, I wanted the ground to swallow me up.

A powhiri takes place on a marae, a mihi whakatau takes place off a marae (I think).

[peebles16]

We've had powhiris (sp??) at marae, schools, council offices, kindies etc and not just marae - basically anywhere that someone is being welcomed to is my understanding :)

Karenx

[Sam B]

Well I don't know why my one was called a mihi whakatau then. It was just the same as everyone else's - nose touching with senior managers, singing etc..

[Jo Jo]

Well I don't know why my one was called a mihi whakatau then.

It varies by iwi. Some iwis use the term powhiri for welcoming ceremonies no matter where they occur, and others use powhiri to refer to welcoming ceremonies on marae only, and mihi whakatau for ceremonies that take place elsewhere.

[Sam B]

Well the Tainui iwi say mihi whakatau then. Cheers for clearing that up Jo Jo.

[1979vanessa]

wow, thanks for the insight. I don't know whether to laugh or cry!! Oh well, at least I'll be prepared. Makes a change from the welcome in the NHS, 'Hi, read 100 useless policies, and here's your caseload of 1000 children!'

[Sam B]

Ha ha, yes, it's very different to the NHS. There are more guitars and less policies.