The BBC has showcased Māori culture to the world as a part of its Commonwealth Day broadcast.
All countries of the Commonwealth were highlighted in the broadcast. Representing Aotearoa, New Zealand-born singer Benson Wilson belted out a powerful mihi that echoed through Westminster Abbey Church.
Wilson spoke with Te Ao Mārama today and says it was a huge honour to share Māori culture at such a prestigious event.
"As soon as I said 'Kia wiri' you just saw everyone's spines just go 'Oh what's going on?'," he says.
"Everyone just said it was spine-tingling, they had goosebumps. I think te reo Māori and the way that Aotearoa is represented through the Māori culture internationally is something that is very rare."
Wilson is Samoan but New Zealand born, and is proud of his Aotearoa roots. And he says he grew up loving kapa haka.
As he performed his Mihi, Wilson was accompanied by his fiancée Isabella Moore, who sang a mōteatea.
"The chant that followed, sung [sic] by my fiancée, was actually gifted to the New Zealand Secondary Students Choir by the Wehi whānau when they taught us this beautiful waiata Kua Rongo."
After the mihi and mōteatea, a recording of the New Zealand Youth Choir played, showing them performing the waiata Kua Rongo.
Wilson says, "I was called upon by the New Zealand Youth Choir to do a little mihi before the choir sang back home in Aotearoa."
He says all Kiwis today have an unwavering connection to Māori culture.
"It's definitely a connection that I think all Kiwis, no matter where you are in the world, you respond to the call of the karanga and the speaking of the whaikōrero."
The baritone will return to Aotearoa at the end of the year to perform in Opheus where he's expecting to put in a Māori twist to the show.