29 Jun Nau mai Chelsea Cunningham

Haere ki a Te Māta e tū kaha nei.  Kei korā a Rongokako e hunaia ana.  He tohunga whakamanahau ia.  Āta titiro ki tērā tangata i whaia mō te hemo tonu atu i a Muriwhenua.  Nā tō rāua aroha, ka puta ko Tamatea Pōkai Whenua.
Kei korā ngā wāhi o ō mātou tīpuna, mai i a Kahurānaki ki Ngāruroro, ki Tukituki.
Nā, ka haere ki ōku maunga, kia purea au e ngā hau o te ora tēnei au, he uri au o Kahungunu.
Ko Chelsea Cunningham ahau.

Stepping into my role with the Toi Tangata whānau feels as if it has come full circle. Fueled by my love for sport, I pursued a degree in physical education at the University of Otago. Nearing the end of my degree my passion was drawn to whānau well-being and connection to te taiao. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect as I had the opportunity to undertake a student internship with Toi Tangata in the summer of 2014-15, an experience that elevated my passions to new heights and played an instrumental role in my decision to pursue postgraduate studies. 

My love for maunga and whakapapa has guided my rangahau endeavours, focusing on reconnecting whānau to ancestral land and seascapes while also understanding the influence of whakapapa on well-being. 

Having come full circle, I am now find myself in the role that once nurtured my love and passion for te taiao and whakapapa. I’ve held the Toi Tangata whānau close to the ngākau for many years now, so it is a privilege to now be a part of the whānau. My initial two months on the team have already been filled with memorable experiences and opportunities to learn and share mātauranga in my favorites space, I’m excited for more to come.