I’ve had a bit of an interesting upbringing really; I was born in South East Asia, Brunei. I moved to Singapore and then to New Zealand when I was six.

I grew up in Cambridge and attended St Peter’s School. I was the kaea in the school’s kapa haka ropu for a number of years, however, I did not grow up speaking Māori

My father was New Zealand European and his best mate was a Māori fella. His name was Turi. He brought Dad into his whānau, as if he was a blood relative, openly and warmly, in a very ‘Māori’ way.

I’m new to Matariki and understanding what it means for me and why it’s important for Aotearoa, New Zealand. But I want to understand it in a more deep and meaningful way.

Well, I started off farming and I used to get $5 bucks a week from my Uncle. I would milk some of our cows, feed the pigs and the dogs and that is what I did every day as a 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 year old.

I’m learning te reo Māori (Māori language) to reconnect with my culture but also understand who I am as a person.

It always surprises people that I’m a volunteer firefighter based in Auckland, but I’ve been part of Fire and Emergency New Zealand for 14 years.

I grew up on a dairy farm in South Taranaki and have always appreciated the lifestyle associated with farming and being able to work alongside family in an outdoor environment.