As a Maori raised away from my marae in the city, I have had to overcome barriers to reconnect to my whanau and return home. These social and cultural barriers gave me the incorrect impression as a child that to be Maori, was to be lesser. It's important to take part to ensure these barriers are torn down and our tamariki have an instilled sense of pride in who they are from the beginning. To be Maori is like having an anchor given to you by your tupuna, so that your identity will never be lost at sea. Every Maori child should be given this gift of identity and sense of self. It is their birth right.
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