Cultural Traditions Background: Stories of my Youth

Ko Wai Au?

Cultural Traditions Background: Stories of my Youth

Kia Ora!

Ko Juanita tōku ingoa

Nō Waipa ahau

Ko Ruahine Ranges tōku maunga

Ko Manuwatu tōku awa

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua tōku iwi

Ko Whiti Te Rā tōku marae

My name is Juanita and I am the customer service rep for Kākahu Outfitters!

I grew up in the Waipa Region with my whanau but my whakapapa started in Dannevirke where I spent a lot of my childhood attending marae hui with my great grandparents at Whiti Te Rā Marae.

I loved watching my Grammy make Kākahu by hand as she was a kaumātua of the marae.

When my tipuna passed away in the mid 2000s, our family moved north and the Māori cultural traditions that we grew up with changed as we were no longer surrounded by the background and people that taught us these special traditions.

Now, out of tertiary study with a degree in business admin I have taken over the role here at Kākahu Outfitters and I’m so excited to meet with you and get to know who you are and share our passion in Māori design and knowledge.

Ngā Mihi Nui