Whilst I am not of Maori descent my husband and baby boy are. I want to honour them and their whakapapa by raising our boy with a knowledge and understanding of his culture and language. I wonder what New Zealand would be like if more people, who like me, had culturally diverse families back and would have stood up for their beautiful Maori family members and their right to live their culture and use their language. So I am standing up for my husband, my boy and all of those who were discouraged to embrace and take pride who they are.