Keri Ann | Kaikōura, Canterbury

“So, my mountain is Tapuae-o-Uenuku which we can’t quite see from here. My river is the Waiautoa. My waka or canoe is Takitimu. My hapu is Ngāti Kuri, Kaikōura. My tribe is Ngāi Tahu, and our whare up at our marae at Takahanga is Maru Kaitātea.

I grew up in Christchurch in Woolston. I was one of those ones that went a little bit wayward. I was placed in a girls’ home, which I grew up in, until I was 17, in Christchurch. I did all my schooling through there. I walked out of school when I was in the fourth form, at Hagley High School. I got myself a job, and from then, got myself a little flat, and decided that I was going to try and do it on my own. At the age of 15, I have three daughters, and I met their father. He was in the boys’ home in Christchurch. We decided we were going to do it together. Eventually, it ended up we were together 25 years with three beautiful daughters. The relationship dissolved. I decided it was time for me to bring my girls home back to my parents that I hadn’t seen for 17 years. Then, I was out in the community trying to meet people, helping out at schools and Barnardo’s, making friends. Then, I was approached by a lady that I met through my family, asking me if I’d be interested in becoming a Māori Warden, and that’s what I am today, and I live and breathe Māori Warden today.

I just love helping people. I’d go without to help someone else. Sometimes it’s not a good thing, because it’s not good for my children, but I’m helping and it always comes back. Always comes round tenfold, and it’s just the awesomeness you feel from helping someone.

It’s a Māori organisation. I mean, you don’t have to be Māori to be a Māori Warden. We have Pākehā wardens that come along with us. We’re a voluntary organisation. We work alongside your Police. All your first response services we work alongside, try to help them out, take the load off. We step up. We can do traffic control. We’re offered all sorts of courses that are funded, so that we can complete them. Next weekend here, Kaikōura Māori Wardens are hosting a two-day wananga, the first day we are doing a first aid course, and the second day we are doing a CIMS2, which is fire response, and that’s learning how to put out oven fires using fire extinguishers, all your do’s and don’ts. 

To be honest, I remember being in the Woolston Tavern with my mum and dad, because my mum was a drinker. Mum used to play Housie all the time. You’d always see Salvation Army come through doing a collection with their tin, and right behind Salvation Army was all those Māori Wardens, and till this day I still remember saying to my dad, I’m going to be one of them one day, and here I am. I can’t believe it.

I was cooking at Whale Watch, and then they closed the café through Covid. Obviously, Whale Watch had to close the facility down, because of the tourist industry. I think it was week three of lockdown, Whale Watch decided that they weren’t going to reopen the café. I panicked, as you do. I resigned, but now I’m out in the community catching up on all our warden stuff that couldn’t be done during lockdown and I just stick my hand up for everything. If people want a hand anywhere, I’ll just go and I’ll do it voluntary, even.”