Wiremu | Hokianga, Northland

“Generally, I’m a pretty secluded guy. I don’t get out much and family is what’s most important to me. So, if I ever do have a heart-to-heart talk with anybody, it’s usually with family members, and it’s usually about family orientated stuff, something that’s going on in either my life or their lives.

Or something that we could all help out with, or from helping each other, but mostly my heart-to-hearts are with my wife. I’m not an out there open book to everybody. I’m quite isolated.

If you’re speaking to strangers, for me, I’m not a really onto it guy that talks to strangers much. I pretty much leave it up to them to come up and introduce themselves. Otherwise, I’d walk on by. I’m not that sort of person that gets out and just makes casual talk, but I think we all should come together at some stage, especially in times like this and whatever help we can give to each other in these times of need, we should just do it.

If I did have a heart-to-heart with anybody, it would be with the whole world, and it’s that I hope we all get through this pandemic quite quickly and the less people that suffer would be very good. So to all those that are out there that are suffering with this pandemic, I wish you all kia kaha, which means keep stay strong, and just keep battling until we win.

I was born in Rāwene, which is 30 clicks out West, and went to Rāwene School, went to Kaikohe Intermediate, Northland College, and brought up my whole life in the Far North. I’m the youngest of five siblings, and we have two adopted siblings brought into our family. I’ve got seven siblings, seven children of my own, and 23 grandchildren. I ain’t made my millions, but what I haven’t got in monetary, I’ve got in family. So, those are my millions of dollars, my family.”