Trust & Project Administrator
I first visited New Zealand in 2002 and met whānau from Wellington, Christchurch and Rotorua who would eventually become my in-laws.
It wasn’t until early 2004 that I experienced the whenua and te moana of Waitohi, Totaranui/Queen Charlotte Sounds and Te Kura Te Au, and fell in love with the amazing beauty of the area and its treasures.
I knew very little of the Māori culture until moving to Aotearoa, but I was fortunate to be nurtured and guided by the immediate and extended whānau who visited. I remember fondly the singalongs and the stories of the ‘old days’ of growing up at Waikawa Pa, and of the escapades and adventures of my tāne, his siblings and numerous cousins.
For me what was also special was that I was introduced to tikanga, Te Reo, Marae and Ratana by the local and extended whānau and the times spent on various Marae at different hui.
I have been lucky enough to visit Parihaka, and to meet and spend time with one of the most respected kuia from the Pa. Aunty Poppy Bailey shared her stories with me, showed me her weaving and humbled me by showing me some of her mother’s taonga. She reminisced of her younger days spent with her uncle – the Koro of my tāne. There was much korero and kai that weekend as we visited a number of the tamariki of Aunty Poppy. It was an extraordinary time, and it was an absolute honour to have her visit us in our whare when she came to Te Tau Ihu.
I have worked for fifty odd years in a number of various roles and industries both here and in Australia. Over the last 20 years I have been fortunate to work with, and for several Te Waipounamu iwi in various compacities of support and executive management and operations.
A change of circumstances provided me the opportunity to assist Te Ātiawa ki te Upoko o te Ika working with the Trust’s Takutai Moana Claim Project Team. I had previously worked on another Takutai Moana iwi claim.
I very much enjoy working with the team on this extremely important kaupapa, and find it very rewarding to be part of the progress we are making and I look forward to bringing the whānau with us on the journey.
At the first AGM of the Trust that I attended I was approached to see if I could provide additional support to the Trust in the role of Trust Administrator. I was in a position to provide the required support for the Trust and the Trust Board and I agreed to do so. I informed all present that I would do the role until a member was found who would like to contribute and be part of the important mahi that strengthens the Trust and the membership. I was very humbled by the response from those who were present.
It has been very gratifying to be part of the inner workings of the Trust, and to experience its growth and development over my time in the role.