Holly Aymes COMMITTEE MEMBER

Nō Te Tai Rāwhiti ōku tūpuna. I te taha pāpā, Ko Papatu te maunga, Ko Te Arai te awa, Ko Tūranga-nui-a-Kiwa te moana, Ko Ohako te marae, Ko Rongowhakaata te iwi, Ko Te Ota te tangata. I te taha māmā, Ko Hikurangi te maunga, Ko Waiapu te awa, Ko Horouta te waka, Ko Hinepare te marae, Ko Ngāti Porou tōku iwi, Ko Waikari te tangata.

Tēnā koutou, I am a ringatoi / artist and māmā of 4, born in Whangarei, but have spent most of my life here on the Hibiscus Coast. I restarted my reo journey in 2017 through my local Playcentre and marae. I am currently doing a Te Reo diploma through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Through my reo journey at THW, I have participated in numerous Māori kaupapa, things I never had the opportunity to do, at my own marae. I treasure these experiences as treasures I can pass down to my tamariki. I have seen Te Herenga Waka embrace this community and welcome all people, regardless of where they originate from. I feel lucky that I am a part of this kaupapa too. ‘Poipoia te kākano kia puāwai’ (Nurture the seed and it will blossom).