As New Zealand reopens to the world, Araraurangi Air New Zealand has launched a new safety video – this time it’s the story of the Tiaki Promise. A promise that encourages both New Zealanders and international visitors to care for our place, our culture and our people.

The story follows Tiaki, a young man who boards a waka rererangi (flying canoe) and sets off on an adventure across Aotearoa.

With the help of Air New Zealand and Julie (a character that embodies the rest of New Zealand), he visits four Māori guardians including Papatūānuku (the land), Tangaroa (sea), Tāne Mahuta (forest) and Ranginui (sky). Along the way he seeks advice from these guardians on how better to look after them.

Air New Zealand General Manager Brand and Marketing Jeremy O’Brien says as people start to return to Aotearoa, this safety video is an invitation to them to act like guardians while they’re here:

We want tourism to build back better than it was before and part of that is to share with our visitors a sense of kaitiaki – to encourage them to act like guardians of our country. Our Safety Videos are world renowned and through them, we have an opportunity to educate and inspire ourselves, our customers and Aotearoa on the importance of Tiaki and everything it stands for. It’s about being good hosts, and good visitors.

Julie’s character in the safety video is there to show that caring for New Zealand isn’t something Tiaki can do alone. It requires all of us to follow the Promise and commit to protecting Aotearoa for future generations to come.

I’d like to thank Pou Tikanga and storyteller, Joe Harawira, New Zealand Māori Tourism and the New Zealand Māori Arts & Crafts Institute for guiding us, right from concept to the building of the waka, and the cultural formalities we followed throughout. The collaborative effort has helped us share this story and the principles of Tiaki authentically.

The airline worked closely with the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute to design the waka and its carvings. From there it was taken to the various filming locations and flown on wires to create real shadows and textures for post-production.

Cutting-edge LED stage screens, used in The Mandalorian TV series, helped to bring the legends of Māori culture to life, and it was this motion technology that created a seamless shift from the real world to the fantastical.

In 2018, Air New Zealand, along with six other organisations, created the Tiaki Promise – a way to educate New Zealand visitors about protecting and enhancing our country – and this safety video builds on the work already at play with the Promise.

The Tiaki Promise sees travellers:

• Care for land, sea and nature. Treading lightly and leaving no trace.
• Travel safely, showing care and consideration for all.
• Respect culture, travelling with an open heart and mind.