17 Oct Meet Sande

Ko Motutere tōku maunga
Ko Te Punga Punga tōku awa
Ko Whangapoua tōku turangawaewae
Ko Ngāti Huarere ki Whangapoua tōku iwi
Ko Mangakahia whanau ingoa
Ko Hamiora Mangakahia rāua ko Meri Te Tai Mangakahia tōku mātua tipuna
Ko Nehe Rapata Wahawaha nō Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga rāua ko Winifred Mangakahia tōku mātua
Ko Peter Gates no Ngai Te Wake, England, Scotland tōku hoa rangatira
Ko Luke mataamua, ko Catherine, ko Lisa, ko Wairakau āku potiki tamariki
E  whitu ōku mokopuna, ko Dejah, ko Justin, ko Nayomie, ko Angelina, ko Javei, ko Julia, rātou ko Zimmy John
Ko Sande Mareroa-Gates tāku ingoa

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa

Sande’s nutrition hīkoi began in the early 1990’s during the completion of her Naturopathic and Medical Herbalism Diploma with South Pacific College, and AUT Nursing Pathophysiology Level 1 & 2.  With the blessings of kaumatua and kuia from Hoani Waititi Marae, she achieved her thesis, titled Māori Nutrition. Te Whanau o Waipareira learned about her mahi and offered Sande the opportunity to develop a four module kai/nutrition programme for West Auckland whānau, which received AUT accreditation.

In early 2000, Te Whanau o Waipareira stopped delivering the programme and Pacific Heart Beat based at the Heart Foundation modified it, transforming it to a Pacific peoples training programme.

She has an extensive work history in the kaupapa of nutrition including working with Te Kotuku Kohanga Reo in Te Atatu, assisting ringawera with nutritious, affordable and sustainable gardens and enjoyable kai choices for tamariki and their whanau.She has also worked alongside the Auckland City Mission developing sustainable gardens.

She has also worked as a community nutrition educator and sustainable living for whanau living in Pare Hauraki at risk or living with heart disease and diabetes, smoking cessation nutrition support, practical cooking classes on a budget, discovering the relationship between nutrition and smoking, sustainable gardening tips, to tauira of Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Te Whanau o Waipareira kaimahi and Salvation Army View Road, Henderson.

Her background includes six years tutoring in Naturopathy and Medical Herbalism at Wellpark College and Rongoa Maori at Waikato University Community Education and recently working at the Heart Foundation in two roles – the first regional role Auckland Heart Health Advocate and 2nd role was the National Clinical Liaison working in Auckland, Tairawhiti, Te Taitokerau, Whanganui and Rotorua.

We are very excited to have her on board and look forward to working with her as part of the Toi Tangata whanau!