E kore e taka te parapara a ōna tūpuna, tukua iho ki a ia.
The qualities of his ancestors will not fail to be fulfilled, they will descend to him
Te Hiku Hauora held their annual Kaumatua Luncheon on Friday June 19 at Potahi marae in Te Kao, with over 100 kuamatua from all over Te Tai Tokerau in attendance.
Special guest speakers included MP for Northland, Hon Winston Peters (Ngati Wai), NZ First MP Pita Paraone (Ngati Hine) and Dr Hinemoa Elder (Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kurī, Te Rarawa, Ngāi Takoto).
Delicious kai was served and entertainment provided by Toru Nga Mea for the event, now in its seventh year.
Te Hiku Hauora Trust secretary Tom Allan said “The entire day was an outstanding success. We hold this day to recognise kaumatua in our community and to show our appreciation for them.”
Also recognised on the day were the recipients of the 2015 Te Hiku Hauora educational and sports scholarships.
These scholarships have been awarded to three worthy recipients for the past 10 years, providing educational grants and support to three students with ancestral links to Muriwhenua tribes, satisfactory academic record, decided by the Trust, in the fields of medicine, dentistry and sport.
The Muriwai Popata Scholarship provides one-year of support to students in medical school or university and was awarded to Paraone Te Maru Payne.
26-year-old Paraone (Ngati Te Ao, Te Rarawa) is in his fourth year of medicine studies at Auckland University.
Upon completion of his fourth year, Paraone intends to apply for a position in the Pukawakawa programme which will bring him up to the hospitals and health clinics in the Northland DHB region. He hopes to gain placement in Kaitaia so that he can build relationships with the doctors and health workers of his rohe.
Paraone says, “It has been my desire since taking up medicine to return to my iwi, to Te Rarawa, and to practice medicine within our community.”
The Zarella (Tere) Gravenor Scholarship provides one-year of support to students enrolled in dentistry at Otago University with the recipient for 2015 being Tia Waitai-Henare.
Tia (Ngati Kuri, Ngati Kahu, Te Rarawa, Te Aupouri, Ngai Takoto) who is 19 years of age, was raised in Kaitaia and attended Te Rangi Aniwaniwa kura.
She is presently in her second year of study at Otago University.
Tia has been a performing member of Muriwhenua kapa haka since 2009 and has also represented Te Hiku o Te Ika at Nga Manu Korero from 2009-2011. In 2011 she achieved Te Wananga o Aotearoa Youth Ambassador of the year and was dux of Tai Wananga in 2013.
She says upon completion of her studies she would like to serve her community by specialising in certain areas of Maori oral health (e.g. providing dental service for Maori by Maori and educating whanau about the dental needs for tamariki).
“I am committed to ensuring that I achieve success in my chosen field not only for myself but for my whanau, hapu, iwi and community.”
The Hauora Sport Scholarship provides support to an individual who has achieved a high standard of sportsmanship and the recipient for 2015 is 23 year old Awhiria Meltzer (Ngai Takoto).
An ex-Te Rangi Aniwaniwa kura student, Whiria is nearing completion of his Personal Training studies in Auckland. He played rugby for the Northland Taniwha team in the ITM Cup for three years and hopes to hear that he has made the north harbor team this year.
“As a Personal Trainer I want to be better, demonstrate the meaning of “healthy wellbeing” for our people and to guide them in the right direction through healthy lifestyles and exercise. They will learn what it is to have choices of nutritious kai.”
“The first step is always the hardest, but if you have someone to motivate and awhi you along the way then success is achievable. I believe that the Whanau O Hauro have helped me take that first step, and now I am on my journey to starting my own Personal Training business.”
“I would like to be a positive role model for my teina and my whanau and everyone I encounter. Dream it, believe it, and achieve it.”
“Tenei te mihi mahana ki a koutou e te Whanau O Hauora mo to koutou nei awhina tino nunui.”
