Meet Our Kaiako
Ferris Leilua
Ko Tāwhiti-Nui a Paoa te Maunga
Ko te Upoko Pako te Awa
Ko Iritekura te Marae
Ko Iritekura te tangata
Ko te whānau ā Iritekura te Hapū
Ko Horouta te Waka
Ko Ngāti Porou me Waikato ngā iwi
Ko Ferris Leilua tōku ingoa
Tēnā koutou katoa.
My name is Ferris and I am a proud Māori, Samoan from Kirikiriroa, Hamilton. Although this is the place where I grew up, my roots are in the mighty Te Tairāwhiti (East-Coast) where my mother comes from. A beautiful settlement called Waipiro Bay. A place i hold close to my heart and where my tūpuna lay. I now reside in Melbourne with my beautiful family and started to get serious about my te reo journey in January 2021. After numerous failed attempts of trying to regain my reo through school and university, I took it seriously when I realised my heart was yearning for Te Ao Māori since moving to Australia in 2013. It’s always been a big part of who I am and it was lost. I had to get it back for my children, my family and friends. Although I am striving to become fluent, from what I've learnt so far, I've never felt more grounded in who I am and where I'm going. This journey has opened many doors and now I get to be a part of revitalising our language with Piki-Te-Hauora. As an ex-student who completed the beginner and intermediate course, I’ve been given an opportunity to help others who are ready to start their reo journey! For me, Te Reo is more than a language, it is our culture, values, tīkanga and our way of life. A language, for us to nourish and pass on to our children, so that it can prosper for the future generations to come. Now has never been a better time to board that waka whānau and reclaim what has always been ours! I Look forward to being a part of your Te Reo Journey!
Ngā mihi nui.
Linton Price
Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Waingongoro te awa
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Ngāti Ruanui, ko Ngā Rauru ngā iwi
Ko Hapotiki, ko Hamua ngā hapū
Ko Linton Price ahau
I grew up with Te Reo Māori all around me and took it for granted. I left home very young, stopping my reo journey which ended up being one of my biggest regrets. Later, I found Piki Te Hauora, who helped bring out a lot of reo that I thought was gone. This has led me to start working towards obtaining my degree in Te Reo Māori. I’m still learning everyday and I hope to inspire others to take the leap and pursue their own reo journey. Don’t wait for inspiration, be the inspiration.
Parehounuku Knowles
Ko Tararua ko Taranaki ngā maunga
Ko Ngāti Raukawa Te Au ki te Tonga ko Ngā Rauru Kii Tahi ngā iwi
Ko Raukawa Ko Tauranga Ika ngā Marae
It all started in Ōtaki, where I was completely immersed in a Māori world from Kohanga, all through school, and even when I got my first job. After school, I went on to study Iwi and Hapū, Māori Performing Arts and Travel industry related courses. During this time, I was heavily involved with Kapa Haka both tutoring and performing which saw me on a number of stages across Aotearoa. In 2011, I departed Aotearoa for opportunities in Brisbane. Now we called Gold Coast home, where my daughter was born. After navigating life in Australia for 7+ years and now with a baby, I really felt a strong pull to reconnect back. A pilgrimage, which guided me through many amazing opportunities, sparked an internal flame that was to eventually lead me back to Aotearoa in January 2021. I had visions to be fully immersed again, but late 2020 my plans were changed, and I remained in Queensland. My pilgrimage landed me here with Piki Te Hauora. The internal flame is now a blazing fire maintained by the passion and love from everyone who makes it possible to continue to learn. “We will not be lost, we are descendants of greatness”
Mitchell Hema
Mai te Awa o te Atua ki tua, ko Mātaatua te waka
Ko Panekire te maunga
Ko Waikare te moana
Ko Ngāti Hinekura te hapu
Ko Te Kuha te marae
Ko Ngai Tuhoe te iwi
Ko Mitch Hema e mihi nei
I began learning Te Reo Māori in Taupō through the means of kapa haka at the age of 15. The majority of the group were fluent Māori speakers. I therefore, quickly became envious of those around me who knew and spoke Te Reō Māori. My fixation towards not only the language, but to immerse myself in everything Māori led me to enrol at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te reo ki Tūwharetoa. I devoted my last 2 years of secondary school to learning our culture, our tīkanga, our history, and our language.
I continued with tertiary studies at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi in Whakatāne, where I acquired my Bachelor of Education. Subsequently, I returned to Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa to teach Te Reo Māori to secondary students. Since moving to Australia 7 years ago, Piki te Hauora has reconnected me with our language and enables me to give back and share this knowledge with those who aspire to learn Te Reo Māori.
Te Teira Davis
Tu ana au i runga i taku maunga a Taiarahia, ka titiro whakararo ki aku marae e tu kaha ana i roto i Te whārua o Ruatoki, ka huri au ki uta ko Ōhinemataroa tēra e rere ana, mai te Te Urewera ki whakatāne, puta noa atu ki Te Moana nui a kiwa, kātahi rā te ātaahua!!
Ko au tēnei e tu atu nei, te iti ngā Tuhoe ka kata te po!!
Ko Maungapōhatu te Maunga
Ko Ōhinemataroa te Awa
Ko Mataatua te Waka
Ko Otenuku te Marae
Ko Tuhoe te Iwi
No Ruatoki ahau
Ko Te Teira Davis taku Ingoa
Growing up in the capital of the Bay of plenty, Ruatoki, te reo was spoken almost all the time. I was raised by my great grandmother and grandmother until I was 12, I was always at the marae, I ate, slept and breathed Te Ao Māori. I took Te Reo Māori for granted. It wasn’t until I moved to Wellington to live with my mother and father, that I realised Maori was rarely spoken. Luckily we spoke te reo a lot in our house for the sake of keeping it strong and alive. Having a father who was always up and down the country, doing kaupapa Māori, karakia, tangihanga, marena, hui, I had to take it all on board being the eldest in the family. I’ve now been living in Australia for nearly 15 years. It’s only now, years later that I’ve heard the calling to give back to my people to Te Iwi Māori. I want to help those who are wanting to grasp and attain te reo. I’m currently teaching the foundation reo classes and I wish I had done it long ago, the feeling of achievement, gratitude I get when I know I’m helping others in their journey of te reo is priceless. Thankful to Te Rangi and Josh for the opportunity!
Piki Te Hauora has reignited my passion and love for te reo, and I am looking forward to carrying on and helping others in their journey.
Ngā mihi kia koutou katoa.
Dougy Petley
Tēnei au te tau nei i taku tau, Tauranga a utu, Tauranga a tai.
He aroaro aha taku aro.
He aroaro tapu taku aro.
He aro ahau ki te runga rawa.
He aro ahau ki te marae nui, ki te marae roa, ki te marae tikitiki e takoto nei.
He aro ahau ki ōku Maunga, ko Mauao, ko Patangata, ko Whētumatarau, ko Hikurangi, ko Maungatautari.
He aro ahau ki tōku moana, ko Tauranga, ki ōku awa, ko Waikato, Ko Waiapu, ko Waikohu.
He aro ahau ki ōku waka, ko Tākitimu, Ko Tainui, ko Mātaatua, ko Horouta, ko Nukutaharua.
He aro ahau ki ōku iwi, ko Ngāti Ranginui, ko Ngāi Te Rangi, ko Waikato, ko Ngāti Porou.
He aro ahau ki ōku hapū, ko Te Pirirākau, ko Ngāti Tauaiti, Ko Ngāi Tūwhiwhia, ko Ngāti Korokī Kahukura, ko Te Whānau-a-Te Aotaki, ko Te Whānau-a-Hinerupe, ko Te Whānau a Tūwhakairiora.
He aro ahau ki ōku marae, ko Tūtereinga, ko Te Kutaroa, ko Ōpureora, ko Maungatautari, ko Hinerupe, ko Hinemaurea.
He aro ahau ki te whenua, he aro ahau ki te moana, he aro ahau ki te tangata.
He aro, he aro, he aroha ki te iwi e tau nei!
E aroha nui ana a au ki tōku reo māori, ki tōku ārero māori, ki tōku ao māori. I mua i taku ako i te reo māori kāore au i mōhio e ahu ana a au ki whea. Nā ōku tūpuna te kākano o te reo i whakatō ki te whatumanawa. Nā ōku kaiako maha taua kākano i manaaki, i poipoi.
Te Reo Māori has long been a guiding star throughout my life. Te Reo Māori has shown me doors to knowledge, doors to the world of yesteryear, doors to the realm of self discovery. As a young chap I always wanted to be doing something/anything Māori. As I grew older, I moved to Sydney but I could never settle. I had unknowingly distanced myself from my language, culture and heritage. So I returned home to the teachings of my grandparents. Everything since then has moulded the man you see before you today. Te Reo Māori has given me many things in my life but the greatest gift that my language has given me is the ability to help others on their journey. So, what are you waiting for? Jump on the waka and let's get to work!
Pania Elmsly
I te taha o tōku pāpā,
Ko Tauanui te maunga
Ko Kereru te awa
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua te waka
Ko Ngā Puhi Nui Tonu te iwi
Ko Ngāti Moerewa raua ko Ngāti Rangi ngā hapu
Ko Te Riingi te marae
Ko Reta Whiu tokū kuia
Ko Trevor Elmsly tōku pāpā
I te taha o tōku māmā
Ko Pirongia te maunga
Ko Waipa te awa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Ngāti Maniapoto te iwi
Ko Ngāti Apakura te hapū
Ko Pūrekireki te marae
Ko Moyra Joseph tōku kuia
Ko Nyra Elmsly tōku māmā
Tēnā koutou katoa.
Kia ora, my name is Pania and I was born on the unceded lands of Woiwurrung Country, in the Kulin Nation, also known as Melbourne, Victoria. I’ve grown up here and lived here most of my life, but have strong ties back to Aotearoa. I’ve spent a lot of time on my whenua up north, and have yet to be reacquainted with my King Country whenua.
I’ve always been passionate about learning different languages, but it wasn’t until I was in the middle of Brazil, speaking fluent Portuguese that I realised… if I could speak Portuguese, I could definitely learn the language of my ancestors. So, I came back hungry for my reo, which in turn, made me hungry for everything Te Ao Māori.
I’ve been lucky enough to have two amazing kaiako (teachers) over the years. One who showed me how beautiful our language is, and the other who told me our reo is to be shared, not to be held onto, which is why I am so happy to be teaching with Piki Te Hauora so that everyone can see how amazing Te Reo Māori is.
Mauri ora!