Rukumoana finds niche leading people
At 15, Rukumoana Schaafhausen dropped out of school.
It was her parents’ decision, she says, for her to leave school at that age. She had to support her family and help raise her brothers.
She worked as a receptionist at a Morrinsville medical centre. But she knew she was meant to do more. And she has.
Ruku is a lawyer, a director and an influential member of her iwi. She tackles all her tasks while also looking after her two young boys.
She is one of two Waikato people who have been awarded the Blake Leader Awards at the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Awards.
Taupo raised Aaron Fleming, an environmental advocate and respected athlete, also received an award for his work.
The Blake Leader Awards are given to inspirational mid-career leaders who have shown determination, the will to succeed and a belief in achieving extraordinary things, in the style of Sir Peter Blake himself.
Ruku credits her unconventional path to her leadership success.
It wasn’t an easy path. She had cynics she had to prove wrong.
Ruku enrolled in Te Timatanga Hou – an intense bridging programme which helped her to enter university. At 18, she was accepted to study law at Waikato University. Her first year was a challenge. Knowing that she was a role model to her brothers pushed her to keep going.
‘‘I was paving a new way for my family so that was also my motivator. I wanted a better life for my brothers. When it got tough I just remembered that.
‘‘I think it was also about telling myself I could do it, even if I didn’t have the same start, if you like, as the students coming straight from high school.
‘‘I probably had a lot more responsibility than any of my peer group had to endure.
‘‘I just had to not think that my past was a liability, it became my greatest asset.’’
Ruku’s baptism into governance came not long after she graduated from law school - appointed to the board of Waikato-Tainui Te Kauhanganui, when Waikato-Tainui became the first iwi to settle its Treaty of Waitangi grievances with the Crown.
On Monday she stepped into the role of chairperson of Te Arataura, the executive arm of Te Whakakitenga o Waikato, the tribal authority representing the people of Waikato-Tainui.
Her role is to manage and distribute income received from its commercial arm, Tainui Group Holdings, and other funding sources.
Ruku is influenced by her Nga¯ti Haua ancestor Wiremu Tamihana, a leader largely responsible for establishing the Maori King movement in the mid1800s, and she endeavours to emulate his qualities of peace-making, unity, strong values and faith in her own leadership journey.
She is also passionate about seeing more young Maori women taking up governance and leadership roles. She mentors and champions young women at her marae and in her community.
‘‘My mum raised me to never desire position, because you can be a leader without having the label. Did I have leadership qualities at a young age? Yeah I did, because I raised my brothers. I had a lot of responsibility from a young age.’’