My heritage is the Khoekhoe (or San, Khoisan) - the indigenous peoples of South Africa. Currently, the government refuses to even acknowledge my whakapapa as the country's first nation's people and their struggle for recognition continues. In the absence of this recognition, the language is all but dead, spoken by only a handful of people. Living in New Zealand has made me more aware of my own heritage and the importance of its preservation. However, working for a Māori organisation for 8-years has brought that realisation to the fore. If there isn't anything I can do for my own whakapapa, then I want to be sure that I am contributing to Te Reo Māori and Tikanga Māori in any way I can. Mā pango, mā whero ka oti te mahi.