BBC Radio 2 'Pause for Thought' - Chris Evans

Archbishop in New Zealand (Photo by Rob Tucker)

I have just returned from a visit to New Zealand and I'd like to share my experiences of that visit with you and your listeners. You'll know that the traditional Maori greeting takes the form of pressing noses together and is known as the Hongi.

I was overwhelmed by this type of welcome. At one visit, there were quite a lot of children, little toddlers lined up and the only way to press noses was to kneel down, because it's never right if you lift them up. So you need to get down to their level, which is lovely.

It doesn't matter how good, how great you are, you are all on the same level. That kind of levelling experience is amazing.

Through this exchange you are no longer considered a visitor but rather one of the people of the land. For the remainder of your stay you are obliged to share in all the duties and responsibilities of the people living there.

When Maori greet one another by pressing noses, the tradition of sharing the breath of life is considered to have come directly from God. In the hongi, the 'ha' or breath of life is exchanged and intermingled.

I have said on many occasions that one of the traditions that makes Britain great is the warm welcome that we give to the newcomer. We may not need to press noses to do this. But those who have received our welcome, should as in the case of my experience in New Zealand, for the remainder of their stay be obliged to share in all the duties and responsibilities we have here. One people, one nation governed by her Majesty the Queen, in Parliament, under God.

Let us all take a moment to think about how we can get on the same level as those around us, sharing the joy and welcome of our common humanity. We are each other's keeper.

For this is what Jesus Christ did. In order to welcome us back into a warm and loving relationship with God, he came down to our level, being born as a human being, to die and rise again, in order to raise us all from transience, fear, and separation from God and from each other. Forgiving us our past sins. Giving us new life in the present. And Hope for the future. And this is what we will be celebrating at Easter.

Happy Hongi at Easter, Chris!