I moved from South Africa to the Far North town of Kaitaia in March of last year, and it has been a special opportunity for me to engage with different whanau in our community. I have been able to engage with and work in kura kaupapa environments and have been blessed by the manaakitanga shared in those spaces. Weekly I participate in Te Ātaarangi classes and it has been one of the best things I've done in the last few years. It's sometimes challenging but is always a joy to see how much I've gained from it. My 'Why' comes down to me wanting to be a good Treaty partner. For me this means participating in events in different cultural contexts; seeking to protect the Māori language as a taonga; and being a partner who is aware of the history of the last 180 years. Hopefully these are things my daughter will grow up to value as well.