"People wouldn't think I'm Maori because I'm white and when I went up to Te Tii Marae and up top to the Waitangi Marae, a woman came up to me and said, 'Welcome to my marae.' I had to correct her and say, 'Welcome, to our marae'," Mr Baker said.
"I am proud to be both Maori and European and my dream is that as a country we can live our lives as one. There are issues that still need to be addressed but likewise people still need to be open minded, if we keep thinking we're losing out ... we're stuck and aren't moving forward."
While Waitangi Day is about family history for Mr Baker, there is still work to be done.
"I feel for the people up in the dialysis unit in hospital who can't celebrate the day, so I will still be there with them doing God's work," he said.