Interpretation New Zealand

Morena

It was great to be back on board the expedition ship Coral Adventurer  for a recent eleven days journey in Aotearoa.

As we cruised from Te Whanganui a Tara/Wellington to Piopiotahi/Milford Sound, it was time to korero the stories of Aotearoa, particularly our conservation successes and failures.

Sharing these types of stories can be challenging. There are many different interpretive techniques that can be used to ensure guests are both entertained, learn, challenged and have fun. We often see guides who don’t do this. Rather they concentrate on content: not the delivery.

In our view delivery  is more important that content. Sure you need to know your “stuff” but it is how its is  delivered that will make the experience memorable. This is especially so if the weather conditions are challenging, the birds are not singing or the dolphins aren’t where they are supposed to be! How you deliver an experience in those condition puts you into mastering interpretation – or not.

We’ve taken groups through thigh deep water, eaten some plants that taste like asparagus, compared salmon to politicians and danced on a ships tender.  Now thats entertainment!

As Simon McArthur put it “Interpretation is not information. Great interpretation leaves people moved, their assumptions challenged and their interest in learning stimulated. Good interpretation is still thought about at breakfast the next morning, or over the dinner table the next week.“

There were of course many other conversations during the days onboard about life in America and life in Aotearoa.

Thanks to our American guests https://www.olivia.com/ for being such a fun group.

Ka kite ano

Malcolm

                          Coral Adventurer at sea