I grew up in Rānui and live in Kelston, Tāmaki Makaurau with my husband and our two tamāhine. I describe myself as an urban Māori.
I went through Māori medium education from primary to secondary school and studied design and visual arts in my tertiary education. My professional career is in social change and I currently work as an independant consultant.
urban whakapapa
The concept of urban whakapapa emerged from my masters study in 2015. I use the term to describe my Māori medium education pathway. It acknowledges the kura, Māori language units, communities and whānau I am connected to. As a journal and visual diary, urban whakapapa is a space to explore my experiences as an urban Māori living, working and raising my tamariki in Tāmaki Makaurau.
It's also an ongoing wānanga with a generation of urban Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau—capturing and sharing our identities, realities, stories, and experiences. urban whakapapa is about building a body of work rooted in the voices and kaupapa of my communities.