Hobbits, Honey & Kiwis
The second part our Intercultural Communication curriculum has focused on how cultural identity is presented to "outsiders." This gave students a wonderful lens through which they could explore how New Zealand communicates national identity through tourism and culturally-identified exports. Experiential learning at its best when we can bring Hobbits, honey, and kiwi fruit into an academic focus.
Manuka Honey is one of many New Zealand specialties that are tightly controlled by the New Zealand government in order protect the product's integrity (and thus the country's economy). Students learned about how an island nation with a VERY long distance to ship exports must adhere to high standards in order to maintain their national identity and product reputation as "green" and healthful. Humor and some delicious manuka honey ice cream punctuated the lesson.
The Kiwi - which is the name of a bird, the nickname for the New Zealand people, and the name of the delicious fruit - plays an important role in New Zealand cultural identity. (Once the students get home, ask them what the relationship between the bird, the national nickname, the fruit, and kiwi shoe polish is.) Some pix from our visit to a local kiwi farm.
