You know when you’re out somewhere, maybe at an exhibition opening or at a hui and you meet someone you have never met before, do you ask them, “Who are you?” or do you say, “What do you do?”

Often I will ask, “Where you from?” as a way of making a connection with the person and perhaps I might know someone they know or they might even be related to me! It just seems like a natural thing to do to make that connection…
But I reckon more often than not, when we get into conversations it’s all about what we do for a job and yet for most people, this has nothing at all to do with who they are… And I believe this question, “who are you?” expands even further than where we are from. It conjurs up an acknowledgement of ones intrinsic being; their hopes, their passions, their purpose…
So I challenge everyone, next time you’re out and you meet someone new, ask them “Who are you?” and see what response you get.
Arohanui,
Jo x