Tō Mātou Whare: Kat Stephens

Kat Stephens, Andrew Young with their dog Mac. Photo: Virginia Woolf.

Kat (Katrinna) Stephens is a freelance production manager working in film, television and advertising, and her fiancé, Andrew Young, works as an orchard supervisor for Kono. Kat’s tūpuna are Te Wahapiro Paremata, Hara Te Hiu, Rīwai Ngāpaki, Ema Wakarei, Rangihokaia Whāngaingāhau. Her Wakatū iwi connections are Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Rārua. Kat and Andrew live in Motueka with their mastiff-staffy cross, MacGregor Tahi, affectionally known as Mac.

My connection to Wakatū is through my dad, Keri, and his parents, Reuben and Minnie Stephens. Hūria Mātenga is one of our tūpuna, and we have strong ties to Whakapuaka. I was born in Whakatū, and we moved to Motueka when I was eight. Even though I’ve lived in various places around Aotearoa as well as overseas throughout my life, I always tried to come back to Motueka regularly, because it’s home.

Around three years ago I had just finished working on a movie in Maungakaramea, in Te Tai Tokerau, and I knew I didn’t want to live in Auckland anymore. I was originally going to move to Whakapuaka but fate intervened and I ended up falling in love, and then buying a home here in Motueka.

The solid, open nature of this house is one of its appeals. But mostly what I love is that it’s ours, and we can do what we want with it. We’ve got an eclectic collection of art and objects. We’ve had fun finding the right spot for everything, like the painting behind me by Ron Highfield, a good friend I met through my work many years ago. Our front porch is the perfect place to sit in the late afternoon sun with a glass of Tohu chardonnay and catch up on our day.

I have freelanced for most of my career and so I often have to travel for work. However, I’m finding it very difficult to leave my little home. I can’t think of why anyone would want to leave the paradise that is Te Tauihu for any length of time.