He uri whakaheke ahau nō Tūtepourangi rāua ko Hinearorangi. Nā rāua ko Hinekawa, ka noho ia i Te Kotimana, i a Jock McGregor, ka hikaia atu ko Teone Makerika. Ka noho a Teone i a Pirihira Poutu nō Ngāti Raukawa hei wahine tuatahi māna, ka hikaia atu ko Hokowhitu Makerika ka noho i a Titihuia Ngāpu ka hikaia atu ko Rangitaiki Makerika ka noho i a William Stretch ka hikaia atu ko taku māmā a Te Hanatia kātahi ko au ko Huataki.

I am a kaitiaki of the Ngati Kuia Pou this role has the responsibility to ensure our tikanga is present and observed at all levels of our operation Mai i te Kāhui maunga ki Tangaroa. Another role is to assist as kaitiaki for the Tangata Pou our responsibility is for you Te Iwi.

I’m fortunate to be part of the “He Maunga Pakohe Rautaki Hauora” Health initiative. Currently, I am employed as Cultural Competency and Tikanga Facilitator by ‘Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua’ ‘MidCentral DHB’ in the Manawatū. I am part of Te Rōpū Pae Ora Māori Health Directorate we work out of Te Whare Rapuora based at the Palmerston North Hospital Campus. One of my roles is to ensure Cultural Competency is present in all services across the MCDHB catchment. I am also Cultural Competency and Tikanga advisor for the Palmerston North Office of Oranga Tamariki.

Finally, I’m the hoa Tāne of Mokikiwa, a Pāpā of four sons and a daughter, a koroua of nine mokopuna “me taku eke ki te angitū hoki”, an uncle of many, cousin, brother, he pononga mō āku iwi.