All the same human puzzle

We are each different pieces, but from the same ‘‘brokenmess’’ of a puzzle, says aManawatū teen in his winning message of unity.

Palmerston North Boys’ High School year 11 student Leo Mwape, 15, has won his way through to the national Race Unity speech competition final on Matariki weekend next month.

Mwapewon the Manawatū regional final at the Palmerston North City Library last week, impressingwith his imagery of unifying individuals like pieces of a puzzle.

The speech awards are a platform for senior high school students to express ideas on how to improve race relations in Aotearoa.

This year’s theme was ‘‘the fingers of one hand’’ and Mwape said he reflected on how everyone was different, but they were also part of a greater puzzle in society and could work together. ‘‘My speech was about a puzzle itself and how we all look at our pieces, rather than looking at a puzzle like a broken mess of individual things.

‘‘We can see it as a broken puzzle and what we can create. We can respond to it by bringing it together and unifying it to see we are one.’’

Being of Zambian heritage, much personal detail went into the speech, which he found rewarding.

His familymoved from Zambia to New Zealand when he was a baby in 2008, went back in 2010, but returned to New Zealand in 2016.

His life experience was of two cultures woven together. It was a good example of how everyone could unify, regardless of their differences. ‘‘I drew inspiration from my experience and my culture being Zambian, growing up and moving to New Zealand, but also being able to adapt and take pride in being a New Zealander.

‘‘Even though I amdifferent, I am part of the puzzle.’’

With New Zealand being a multicultural country he said issues of race and unity were topical. ‘‘All of us at some point came from somewhere. We all adapted to this country and call it home now.

‘‘We all have individual backgrounds and ethnicities, but at the end of the day we are all together and all New Zealanders.’’

He said all students in the speech competition delivered strong messages.

They were not the leaders of tomorrow; theywere leaders ‘‘now’’.

Mwape also entered the event last year. He had put in a lot of hard work in the past two years, and he felt a huge sense of relief and pride, and was happy to have represented his school.

Manukura student Te Atawhai Kaa was runner-up.

‘‘My speech was about a puzzle itself and how we all look at our pieces . . .’’ LeoMwape

WARWICK SMITH/STUFF Leaders not of tomorrow, but of ‘‘now’’. Clockwise from bottom left, Stellar Talauta, Jiya Bothra, both Palmerston North Girls’ High School, winner Leo Mwape from Palmerston North Boys’ High School, Hineiwi Rangi of Whanganui High School, Manukura’s Te Atawhai Kaa, and, left, the judges.