Finnian Galbraith, a teenager from New Zealand is doing his best to protect one of his country’s most precious treasures, the Māori language. In an instructional YouTube video, Finnian warns that the growing tendency of New Zealanders to mispronounce Maori names is not simply irritating, it is potentially damaging to the nation’s precious cultural heritage. “Now, I’m no expert,” the young man concedes, “but I’m willing to learn and that is what counts.” With more than 100,000 clicks in less than two days, Finnian’s cinematic plea for the preservation of indigenous words and names is a resounding internet hit.
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