Following in ancestors’ footsteps
Working at Te Puia changes graduate’s mind about her place in the world
Rotorua’s Whakarewarewa Valley continues to tell the stories of many generations, with 23-year-old Tiaana Anaru among the latest of her wha¯nau to join Te Puia.
A descendant of Tu¯hourangi, Anaru started her role as marketing co-ordinator after an onsite internship during her Bachelor of Management Studies at the University of Waikato.
Anaru said after her internship she saw Te Puia as a good stepping stone for her career goals and realised she didn’t want to leave.
“I didn’t realise how big Te Puia was within marketing. Internationally they are one of the best competitors within New Zealand.
Working at Te Puia has made me appreciate where I come from. Tiaana Anaru
“I always thought I would be starting my career elsewhere. But as it turns out, Te Puia has been the perfect leg up into my industry.”
This is Anaru’s first job since graduating and she originally did not see herself returning to Rotorua so quickly.
Born and bred locally, she wanted to go out and experience the world before returning home. Now she said it would be hard to leave.
“Coming home has been quite special.
“Working at Te Puia has made me appreciate where I come from because I am actually from the village. That’s big for me.”
Anaru said she had planned to be at Te Puia for no more than five years when she first started. However, connecting with her whakapapa has impacted her more than she had anticipated.
“Before I came to Te Puia I didn’t really recognise te ao Ma¯ori. I didn’t really care about any of that, I just wanted to go further and out of Rotorua.
“When I came back here and started working at Te Puia, te ao Ma¯ ori has now become my life pretty much.”
Anaru joins her mother, Karla Watson, who has been performing in Te Puia’s concerts for five years. Her whakapapa runs deep into Te Puia’s history tracing back to her greatgreat-great-grandfather, Heretaunga Remehio Rotohiko.
Both Heretaunga and his son, Mikaere Heretaunga, didn’t work at Te Puia as it hadn’t yet been created, but both men proudly promoted Te Whakarewarewa Valley.
“Te Puia wasn’t established when he [Mikaere] was alive but there were guides in the Whakarewarewa Village that were guiding tourists through the village.
“A couple of years after he died, Te Puia was established.”
Anaru said the first person to connect her to Te Puia was her greatgrandmother, Haana Denny Anaru, who guided the manuhiri (visitors) around the valley, a skill she learnt from her father, Mikaere.
“My great-grandmother trained many of Te Puia’s guides, some of whom are still here today, which is a special legacy to have left behind.
“I look up to all my descendants who call this beautiful place home.”
Anaru also follows in the footsteps of her nana, Raewyn Anaru, who worked in the gift shop.
Anaru’s role ranges from hosting media, to managing Te Puia’s online social media platforms and websites.
“The marketing team is involved in a massive number of exciting projects and I have to continuously pinch myself that I’m an integral part of it all.”