Vodafone has unveiled a company waiata to coincide with Te Wiki o te Reo Māori.

Vodafone’s Diversity and Inclusion Lead, Kirstin Te Wao explains how this kaupapa came about.

“A wero (challenge) was given to Te Hā Whero, Vodafone’s kapa haka team by our CEO Jason Paris to produce a company song that is uniquely ours. We wanted everyone to have a say in the creation process so we asked our people: what makes you proud to work for Vodafone?

“The whakaaro (thought) on creating this song was to acknowledge the people and work done in the past from those who have moved on, to make way for a new chapter of Vodafone New Zealand, and to move forward as a company in the ever changing world around us,” Te Wao said.

“If you ask me what the most important thing in the world is, I will tell you it is people, it is people.” The first line of Vodafone’s waiata originates from a well-known whakatauki (proverb) that holds a strong meaning to what it means to work at Vodafone.

With help from Kapa Haka expert, Tapeta Wehi from The Haka Experience, the waiata evolved to encapsulate the different personalities within Vodafone, represented by birds and nature. Tapeta’s goal is to take haka to the world.

“It’s an exciting kaupapa to be part of and a great opportunity for Vodafone to share this wider with their global employees, ” says Wehi.

Te Wao adds, “He aha te mea nui I tēnei ao? Māku koe e kī atu he tāngata, he tāngata. What is the most important thing in this world? It is people, it is people. The waiata was composed by our people, for our people. We wanted something that encapsulated the mana of working for Vodafone, and above all something to unite our people.”

The waiata will be used to welcome new people into the organisation as well as international visitors to Vodafone Aotearoa for the first time.