Pulling NZ towards a new age of unity
A Palmerston North teen will again push a powerful message of racial unity on the national stage.
Palmerston North Boys’ High School student Leo Mwape won the Manawatū-Whanganui Race Unity Speech Awards competition at the Youth Space in Palmerston North on Wednesday night and qualified for the national finals in Auckland in May.
The speeches are designed to change attitudes of racism and hatred to acceptance and love.
It is the third year Mwape, 17, has qualified for the national finals.
This year’s theme, Te Taura Tangata – The Rope of Unity, was about encouraging solidarity through inclusiveness, empathy and respect for diversity.
“My speech itself was using the rope as a metaphor about the story of Māui, where he used his rope to pull up the island of New Zealand,” Mwape said.
“The legacy I visualised was today using the rope of unity to pull New Zealand forward towards a new age of unity and all our people woven into one.”
He said the idea of a Kiwi today was different to what it was in the 1970s or 1980s.
“New Zealand as a country is very, very multicultural, it’s easy to draw inspiration [for the speech].
“You look around and see people doing so many activities with each other, forming relationships, which is really what it’s about. ”
Mwape said it was a tough standard of competition at the regional final and he was pleased to see impressive younger speakers coming through.
Abby Bleakley, a year 11 from Palmerston North Girls’ High School, was the runnerup.
Mwape had been working on his speech since the end of last year.
Regional winners will perform the same speech at the national finals, but Mwape would do a lot of practice and revision before then.
At the national finals last year, Mwape won the awards for manaakitanga (care and hospitality) and vision.
But this year he hoped to win the overall title.
“I definitely do want to win, especially for the school. Our school has a good reputation for oratory.
“Last time someone won it was Te Ariki Te Puni in 2016. It’s been quite a while since.”