Takaimaania Ngata-Henare has won the Tohu Whetumatarau Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision at the Race Unity Speech Competition 2022. Photo / Tania Whyte
Takaimaania Ngata-Henare has won the Tohu Whetumatarau Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision at the Race Unity Speech Competition 2022. Photo / Tania Whyte
A Northland young orator and table tennis champion doesn't see rangatahi as the future - they are the now, the 15-year-old insists.
Huanui College student Takaimaania Ngata-Henare impressed the judges with her 10 steps to achieving social cohesion at the Race Unity Speech Awards and has won the Tohu Whetumatarau – Ministry for Ethnic Communities Award for Vision.
The young speaker had a different take on this year's theme - Ngā matimati nō te ringa kotahi (the fingers of one hand) - as she spoke about unity through nature's lens.
"Different races represent different birds, and different sounds made in nature come together in a beautiful symphony. I believe, as one, we could become a socially cohesive society.
"We should strive for the harmony they (different birds) have with all the beautiful sounds they make."
Ngata-Henare learned about race unity and brought back with her many more ideas to achieve the eradication of racism.
"Although it may be difficult, it is something we should continue to strive for.
"Meeting other people, who are like me and enjoy public speaking, was also awesome. We all want to work together for not just the betterment of our own communities, but for the betterment of Aotearoa."
The young achiever believed the rangatahi and elders, together, had more power.
"I don't believe rangatahi are the future, we are the now.
"Because we are young, we do not have prejudice towards certain things. We are still curious and we constantly look for answers.
"We don't necessarily see things one way; we want to look at it from different perspectives.
"Rangatahi have ideas, but elders can actually do something about it."
Ngata-Henare encouraged more students to take part in the speech competitions and said there were huge opportunities, even at the regional level.
"It is such a supportive environment. Never once did I feel it is a competition. It always felt like an open mic and people were there to genuinely listen.
"I'd love to see ideas of other rangatahi."
Huanui College student Takaimaania Ngata-Henare becomes the first girl in more than 20 years to win the Northland Secondary Sports Championship for table tennis in the boys' division. Photo / Supplied
Winning the Tohu Whetumatarau vision award was not the only accomplishment of the week for Ngata-Henare.
On June 23, she was crowned Northland secondary schools champion for table tennis.
Ngata-Henare was the only girl competing in the boys' division, something that has not happened in the last 20 years.
"It is not necessarily that boys have a higher game level, but I competed because there are more games to play.
"I believe the boys and girls compete at the same level in Northland, which is quite amazing because even at worldwide tournaments you don't see that."
