Tihei: New staff member keen to learn the ropes

Waiora holding the Dux Trophy with her parents Deanne and Peter Kireka. Photo / Supplied

Waiora Kireka is the newest staff member at Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated. She started two weeks ago as the administration/receptionist in the office.

Her role includes frontline greeting of our manuhiri/visitors both by phone and in person when they visit our tari. Visitors range from whānau wanting to register with the iwi, to ministers coming to meet with our iwi leaders.

Waiora is a former student and graduate of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga. She was born and grew up in Paharakeke/Flaxmere and started attending Te Kura Kaupapa Māori from as young as 5 years old and attended right through to her high school years.

In her senior years she was part of the school's Trades Academy programme through EIT Hawke's Bay where students were encouraged to attend courses of interest as part of a pathway programme of transition from school to tertiary level schooling or employment.

Waiora is a bright young wahine and graduated with a Level 2 Hospitality certificate in 2019, Level 2 Travel and Tourism certificate in 2020, and in her final high school year she graduated with a Level 3 Young Enterprise Scheme (YES) Micro-credential award. She also received Level 3 NCEA at school, endorsed with excellence. In 2020-2021 she was Head Girl, and last year she graduated as Dux of the school.

Waiora comes from a family of eight children. Her parents Pete and Deanne Kireka raised their children to speak te reo Māori and instilled in their children tikanga Māori values such as whakaiti/humility, whānaungatanga/connection, manaakitanga/respect and generosity towards others, aroha/love, tautoko/sharing, and awhi/caring for and nurturing others. These are natural attributes that this family envelopes and displays.

In her final year of high school, Waiora also worked after school at Kmart to save a few dollars and plan for her future.

She says the Trades Academy helped her to get a taste of what she might want to do after leaving school. While she was awarded university entrance, she felt that she wasn't quite ready and decided to work for the first few years and let her pathway unfold.

She knows for sure that her passion for te reo Māori, tikanga and anything kaupapa Māori will always lead her toward helping her people. She says she might follow in her Dad's footsteps and become a teacher.

"Let's wait and see what unfolds."

For now, Waiora is grateful to be working at Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated.

"I love working at the iwi office. I feel like this is a stepping stone for me to be involved in our Māori community where I can learn from a new focus and it will give me a better perspective on life and my next steps," she says

Smart Services director Ruth Wong says in the past two weeks she has given Waiora tasks to test her ability.

"She's a dependable and committed individual who is willing to learn new skills and adapt to this new environment. Every day in the iwi office could be totally different, and I am a confident that Waiora will blossom with us. She's already done some amazing things and used her initiative to work in our team."

Chief executive Chrissie Hape says Waiora is prepared to work and has a pleasant and approachable manner.

"She's a diverse individual and has extensive knowledge of Te Reo Māori and Māori culture and we welcome her into our whānau."

Ruth says, "She's young, energetic and keen to learn the ropes.

"And I'm willing to teach her all that I know."