Napier City Council's dynamic trio build from within

The Napier City Council Māori Partnerships team, from left, Beverley Kemp-Harmer, Mōrehu Te Tomo and Hilary Prentice. Photo / Supplied

Kahungunu wahine Beverley Kemp-Harmer and Hilary Prentice are the new girls on the block at Napier City Council.

The two were appointed at the beginning of the month to join director of Māori partnerships Morehu Te Tomo as Te Kaiwhakahaere Hononga Māori for Te Waka Rangapū.

Morehu, who has been with the council for the past 18 months, is pleased to have his whānaunga Beverley and Hilary join him. The whole kaupapa of their directorate is to build the profile of the Napier City Council, then build bridges and sustainable relationships with the community.

For Māori, we connect through our pepeha and we learn about each other through whakapapa. We literally go through the links and connect with our neighbours, the person in line at the supermarket, and almost anyone we come in contact with. It's no surprise then that the Napier City Council's first build of relationship will be between themselves, and that's exactly what is taking place.

Beverley has worked for a number of years at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Puni Kōkiri where tikanga Māori is part of her everyday mahi. When she was asked by a former co-worker how she felt on her second day, she said, "I miss hearing te reo Māori and waiata."

Beverley looks forward to the challenge of building a beautiful relationship inside their tari before they venture out.

"My passion is to ensure that everyone is in the Te Ao Māori space so we are in the same waka, not just going the same way, but walking side by side working together," Beverley said.

Hilary has worked in the government sector and for the past 15 years at the Inland Revenue Department. She's excited to see how this new role will challenge her to build a new structure and bring to the directorate her knowledge of governmental processes and strategy.

"We started last Wednesday and on Thursday we implemented karakia," Beverley said.

"The ground work was established through Mōrehu and he already had a staff karakia that they say. We are just keeping the momentum going by adding to it. Every morning at 8.30am we have karakia.

"The measure of success is the number of people who come along to karakia," said Mōrehu.

"We started with two and now we have 10 attending.

"This morning our mayor Kirsten Wise said the karakia. We were very proud of her," Mōrehu said.

"I walk in every morning and go yes!," says Mōrehu. "We are moving in a positive direction."

Congratulations Napier City Council – Keep up the good work!

Pepeha

Beverley Kemp-Harmer
Māori Partnerships Manager - Te Kaiwhakahaere Hononga Māori

I te taha o Pāpā

Ko Tuhirangi tōku Maunga

Ko Mātaotao tōku Pā Kainga

Ko Tutaekurī tōku Awa

Ko Moteo, Ko Timikara, Ko Wharerangi ōku Marae

Ko Ngāti Hinepare, Ko Ngāti Maahu, Ko Ngai Tawhao ōku Hapū

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu tōku Iwi

Ko Paora Kaiwhata tōku Tīpuna

I te taha ō Māmā

Ko Haruru, Ko Heipi ōku Maunga

Ko te wai-o-hinanga, tōku Awa

Ko Petane, Ko Tangoio ōku Marae

Ko Ngāti Tū, Ko Ngāti Matepū, Ko Ngai TeRuruku, Ko Hine-i-terangi, Ko Ngāti Whakaari ōku Hapū

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu, Ko Kaitahu ōku Iwi

Ko Horomona Pohio tōku Tīpuna

Pepeha

Mōrehu Te Tomo

Māori Partnerships Director - Pou Whakarae Hononga Māori

Ko Tuhirangi me Kohukete ngā Maunga

Ko Tutaekuri te Awa

Ko Moteo, Timikara, Wharerangi ngā Marae

Ko Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu, Ngāi Tawhao ngā hapu

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te Iwi

Ko Takitimu te Waka

Pepeha

Hilary Prentice
Māori Partnerships Manager - Te Kaiwhakahaere Hononga Māori

I te taha o toku Pāpā.

Ko Kohukete, Tuhirangi ōku maunga

Ko Tutaekuri, Ngaruroro ōku Awa

Ko Moteo, Timikara, Wharerangi ōku Marae

Ko Takitimu tōku Waka

Ko Ngāti Hinepare, Ngāti Maahu, Ngai Tāwhao ōku Hapu

Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Whanganui ā Ōrotu tōku Iwi

Ko Pera Hohepa tōku Tipuna

Ko Hilary Prentice tōku ingoa.