Māori kite presented to Marape to mark PNG–NZ 50-Year history

Prime Minister Marape stands beside New Zealand High Commissioner Peter Zwart, gesturing toward the kite. (Image: PM's Media)

Papua New Guinea and New Zealand marked a milestone in their diplomatic relationship when New Zealand’s High Commissioner, His Excellency Peter Zwart, presented a traditional Māori Manu Aute kite to Prime Minister James Marape on Thursday.

The gift commemorates both PNG’s 50th Independence Anniversary and 50 years of bilateral ties. The ceremony at Melanesian Haus in Port Moresby was attended by senior government officials, New Zealand High Commission staff, and visiting community representatives.

High Commissioner Zwart said PNG and New Zealand share deep cultural and geographical ties. “New Zealand’s Pacific twin,” he called PNG, highlighting their shared mountains, forests, birdlife, tribal identities, and long histories of navigation.

High Commissioner Zwart and PM Marape (Image: PM's Media)

Prime Minister Marape described the gift as “more than a ceremonial exchange. It is a moment of shared story, shared respect, and shared continuity as people who have lived in the Pacific for thousands of years.”

He linked the kite’s tapa work to PNG’s own traditions, especially from Oro Province, saying it reflects the authenticity of the relationship. Using a Huli metaphor, he added: “A bird does not fly to an unknown destination; it sits on another tree. Today, the bird from your tree has come to ours.”

Both leaders said the ceremony marks the start of a new chapter in PNG–NZ relations. Future cooperation will focus on trade, cultural and educational exchanges, climate resilience, and regional collaboration.

The Manu Aute kite, crafted by master Māori weavers and inspired by the red-tailed tropic bird and the wandering albatross, will be displayed at Melanesian Haus. High Commissioner Zwart said: “The Manu Aute catches the wind and soars. May it lift our imagination and ambition for what the next 50 years of partnership can become.”

High Commissioner Zwart strums the guitar as the PM and NZ High Commission staff observe (Image: PM's Media)

Two mauri stones accompanied the gift - a greenstone [pounamu] given to Prime Minister Marape and an obsidian stone kept by the New Zealand High Commission. The stones represent life force, unity, trust, and shared responsibility across generations.

Together, the Manu Aute and mauri stones symbolise both aspirations, soaring into the future, and grounding, rooted in shared heritage.