NEW FACE TO GREET MANUHIRI TO PKW OFFICES
Candy Harrison Growth is a constant at Parininihi ki Waitotara Incorporation and new staffs are regularly commencing employment. In this issue we introduce Candy Harrison the recently appointed Administration Assistant who explains to Whenua her background. E rua au, E awa au, E Rauru au, Aue!!! E rere kau mai te awa nui mai I te kahui maunga ki Tangaroa ko au te awa ko te awa ko au. Rere tonu noa aku mihi ki ta tatau nei maunga Tauheke a Matua te Tapu e tu waiwai ana I runga I te mata o te whenua. Ko Parininihi te tauihu, Ko Waitotara te taurapa e haere ngātahi ana ki te whai ao ki te ao mārama a Tihei Mauri Ora!!! Ko Ngā Rauru te iwi Ko Ngāti Pukeko me Ngāti Iti ngā hapū Ko Te Aroha te marae I te taha o toku mama no Whanganui, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Raukawa me Ngāti Kahungunu ngā iwi I te taha o taku Papa no Ngāti Porou, Ngā Puhi, Taranaki, Te Arawa me Tainui ngā iwi My work experience My first administrator position was a Programme Co-ordinator position with Te Wānanga o Raukawa when I was just 20 years old. I have also worked for the Aotea Māori Land Court as an Administrator in the ‘Māori Freehold Land Registration Project’ and as a Whanganui land enquiry researcher for WAI 218 1164. In 2013 I completed my first year of a Master degree in Matauranga Māori – Te Wānanga o Raukawa with director, Rauru Broughton. What drew me to PKW? Having lived in Taranaki for just over 4 years now with my immediate whānau 6 | WHAKAMANA
my partner Tristan Patuwairua no Ngāti Maru, no Taranaki nui tonuia. We have four children Haarangi (son 16 years) Te Hiringa (son 14 years), Ngawaikowhai (daughter 11 years), Te Ikatere Wānanga (10 years). Initially the employment opportunities here had not 100% matched my skills and expertise. When I saw the two administration vacancies with PKW I was very motivated, determined even, to get my foot in the door because (a) My strong background in administration and te reo me ona tikanga allows me to become a future asset with PKW capable of moving around and providing administration support where necessary and, (b) PKW being a Māori incorporation – I am always driven to succeed if I am passionate about what I am doing and working in an environment I feel appreciated and embraced for my uniqueness. What I knew about PKW beforehand Unfortunately for me not a great deal, like most shareholder’s I knew the basics. PKW leased land that we are shareholders of. Being based in Whanganui for most of my life and heavily involved in education my whānau accessed grants through PKW to assist while studying. I knew very outcomes for our future generations to little around the business side of PKW, so that has been exciting for me to learn come. One major aspiration of mine is to create exciting resource tools and about while in the office. presentations to target our rangatahi to My aspirations for my new role and look at the opportunities PKW provide for the organisation. and expose our rangatahi to the mass To do my absolute best, to learn as amounts of career opportunities within much as possible, promote, encourage the agriculture sector. I have only and assist other workers in te reo been here for a short while and already me ona tikanga as I work within my see how broad and limitless those position. I hope to move into positions opportunities are. So although that is not part of my role at the moment that with more challenges and positive