Ko Tongariro te maunga
Ko Taupō-nui-a-Tia te moana
Ko te Heuheu te tangata
Ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa te iwi
Mai i Maketu ki Tongariro – Noho ana ki te takere o te waka o Te Arawa ki Rotorua aianei tonu, he kaimahi a Te Miri Rangi ki Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa. He ratonga hauora tērā e poipoi ana i te hākinakina, i ngā mahi korikori tinana, kaua rā e waiho mai i te whanaketanga o te hinengaro, o te wairua hai oranga mo te tangata matapoporetia.
I whakapōtae tēnei ki te tohu paetahi nō Te Whare Wānanga o Otago i raro i te maru o Te Kura Para-Whakawai (BPhEd Exercise Prescription), ā, he tauira anō ia o Te Tumu (BA – Maori Studies). Ko tōnā, nā roto i ngā āhuatanga i waiho mai e ngā tupuna ka puawai te Tongarirotanga e tika ana mā tātou ngā uri o Te Arawa waka. Koia tērā e kaingākau nei e Te Miri, ko te whakaaro ake ki ngā āhuatanga o mua, i reira te tinana o te Māori i noho rangatira ai i tēnei ao. Waiho atu te whakaaro taketake i a tātou, ka puta katoa mai ngā mate ā tinana, a hinengaro, a wairua e kitea nei i te hāpori.
Mai i Maketū ki Tongariro – Although born in Ngā Puhi, Te Miri Rangi descends from Ngāti Haa and Ngai Te Rangiita of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Having been raised from Kawakawa, to Hamilton and then further south to Dunedin Te Miri has always maintained and affirmed his connection to his marae at Mōkai and Waitetoko.
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Graduating from Otago University with a Bachelor of Physical Education (Exercise Prescription) and a Bachelor of Arts (Māori Studies) Te Miri was impelled to utilise his knowledge and skills to reignite health and wellbeing for his whānau, hapū and iwi. To that end, as the He Oranga Poutama Kaiwhakahaere at Te Papa Tākaro o Te Arawa, Te Miri has been driven towards establishing and developing in the young a high standard of excellence in sport and health for Māori in Te Arawa.
Te Miri is passionate about revisiting pre-European Māori processes that once established superior health and wellbeing for Māori. He is a strong advocate for the use of traditional knowledge, practices and sites of significance to create positive transformations in individuals and groups.
Within the last three years Te Miri has established his mark as a young, positive Māori role model within Te Arawa and Tūwharetoa. Te Miri’s experience teaching and delivering planning tools over the past two years has created unique opportunities for him to develop positive futures for whānau, hapū and organisations.
He aspires to one day be a loving husband, and supportive father, while playing an instrumental part in the success of his whānau, hapū and iwi.
December 2013
