Governance

Gina Pikaahu

Ko te wehi ki Te Atua te tīmatanga o te whakaaro nui.
Whakahōnore a Kīngi Tūheitia Pȱtatau Te Wherowhero te Tūawhitū e noho ana i te āhurewa tapu Paimārire.
Ko ngā mate tāruru nui o runga i ngā marae maha puta noa i tō tātou māta waka o te motu. Haere, haere, haere atu rā.
Kei ngā kanohi ora o rātou mā, ngā waihotanga mai o rātou mā.
Tēnā koutou katoa. Ko wai au?

I te taha o tōku Pāpā

Ko Maungataniwhā te Maunga
Ko Ikatertere te Awa
Ko Tokerau te Moana
Ko Māmaru te Waka
Ko Ngāti Kahu te Iwi
Ko Te Paatū me Pikaahu ōku Hapū
Ko Maheatai tōku Takiwā
Ko Ko Te Āhua te Marae

I te taha o tōku Māmā

Ko Taupiri te Maunga
Ko Waikato te Awa
Ko Tainui te Waka
Ko Waikato te Iwi
Ko Ngāti Tipa me Ngāti Kaiaua ōku Hapū
Ko Te Pūaha o Waikato tōku Rohe
Ko Tauranganui te Marae Ko David rāua ko Judy Pikaahu ōku Mātua
Ko Shaun Ruka tāku tungāne
Ko Gina Pikaahu tōku ingoa

It is an absolute privilege to be representing our Iwi Ngāti Kahu on Te Iwi o Ngāti Kahu Social Services Board. Thank you all to those whom I have had the pleasure in meeting, reconnecting and spending time with kōrero, kaitahi and whanaungatanga. I currently work as a Clinical Director/Māori Nurse Lead for a Primary Healthcare Organisation in Albany, Tamaki Mākaurau. I have been in my nursing profession for over 20 years and am grateful for the experience and relationships, more importantly, meeting our Māori whānau especially those who belong to Ngāti Kahu and Waikato/Tainui who are my kin. I belong to a national cohort of Ngā Manukura Māori Nursing Roopū that facilitate and implement strategic vision at all levels of the health sector to ensure Māori Health and Social Equity is maintained and sustained. Recently, I was appointed on the Nursing Advisory Board for the Nursing Faculty of Massey University based in Tamaki Mākaurau, Albany campus.

Currently I am in the process of completing my Post-graduate Diploma in Health Science, leading towards a pathway of becoming a Nurse Practitioner. This opportunity is a conjugate arrangement with my current vocation, they are great support, and my workplace entails high-level pākehā who share their respected briefs as a collective and I am the only immersed Māori employee that ensures the workplace understands Te Ao Māori. I was raised in Parapara for a short time by my parents and also my grandmother Puti (Meri) Pikaahu nee Popata. We lived off the land, sea and bush. I am grateful to have also been raised on my Marae in Te Pūaha o Waikato, Tauranganui where a lot of my Māori Worldview was forged and practiced daily. I also am part of our Hāhi Te Mihingāre Māori and am one of many Pikaahu whānau who embarked on the hikoi with Te Pīhopa Te Kitohi Pikaahu on his journey. I am committed and loyal to our people and am humbled and grateful to be representing Ngāti Kahu in this space.

Nō reira e te whānau,
E mihi mahana ki a tātou katoa,
Mā Te Atua Koutou,
Hei Tiaki, Hei Manaaki,
Ngā manaakitanga,

Gina Pikaahu.