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Ko Hema Michael Tauroa tōku ingoa,
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Maungatautari rāua ko Taupiri ngā maunga
Ko Ngāti Koroki Kahukura, Ko Ngāti Amaru ngaa iwi
Ko Pōhara raaua ko Te Awamārahi ngā marae.
I have grown up on our tūpuna whenua from Motu Aratau to the land around Pōhara marae and am lucky to now reside at Te Paaute Papakainga with my wife Tammy Tauroa and our 3 tamariki; Aramoana, Rongonui, and Maieke.
Previous to working for MDLP I had been part of the dairy industry from a very young age. My parents were share milkers in our district and I attended Pukeatua Primary then onwards to St Stephens boarding school.
I have managed a variety of different milking systems for the past 13 years, from hi-input feed systems, moderate management, to all grass systems. I have seen some ups and down within the industry and observed first hand some of the effects and impact dairy farming has to our whenua and awa without proper care. At a young age my father had passed on skills of Taiao and natural habitats through his mahi on the whenua. Gathering watercress, koura, tuna catching and preparing kai for poukai, Wānanga and tangihanga was part of our everyday lives.
Being able to do this mahi on the same whenua that my father and Koro, and great grandfather did before me has given me clarity, purpose and the true understanding of what it means to be of this place and have a turangawaewae. I am fortunate to have experienced the wonders of our significant sites within Ngaati Koroki Kahukura whenua. As a child Motu Aratau was my playground, swimming and observing activities at Waikaukau was weekly, hikoi up Maungatautari, and passing Taupakanga on the school bus everyday was my world.
I supported my Koro and Nana with mahi at Waniwani and Roberts Road, worked the land on Pōhara station, lived for a short while at Taumaihi, produced honey at Huihuitahā, paddled by Pōkai whenua, grazed cattle next to Maungatautari marae and married my beautiful wife at Karāpiro. Our rohe is our life. Our whenua and our awa are, and should be part of our everyday realities and future dreams, not just for some, but shared with all our iwi members returning home and seeking work from our beautiful place.
I am encouraged by the opportunities ahead, and the vision and leadership of our iwi to drive change within our taiao for the next generation of rangatahi and kaitiaki. I look forward to hard work and positive outputs, and supporting other emerging kaitiaki coming through that will result from this new and exciting programme of work.
Ngā mihi
Hema