Our People: Vernei Mullen

Vernei Mullen. Photo/Stephen Parker

We haven't a clue exactly how many half Maori half Irish kids are running around Rotorua but Our People's prepared to bet it's precious few.

We can, however, confidently say there are at least two, they're the offspring of Vernei and Gerald Mullen - it's Vernei's Maori blood they carry while Gerald's is the Irish content, combined they're a mix that got Our People sniffing a story coming on, Vernei doesn't let us down.

Romances have all sorts of unlikely starting points - Pak 'nSave's not one we've come across before but that's where then check-out operator Vernei met trolley boy Gerald.

He was in New Zealand on his OE, she was recently out of high school, helping support her family following her father's sudden death.

That's the sad part over and done with but before we launch into the love story that this will become let's explain it came out of left field when we'd gone to talk to Vernei about something totally different, her new appointment as the Aquatic Centre's swim school manager.

A probe to establish how come she always looks so darn radiant was also on the agenda. Vernei's one of those sorts for whom the phrase 'natural glow' was invented.

Undoubtedly her vivacious personality and innate positivity are key factors, but they've been given a booster shot by the strictly plant-based diet the Mullen clan's embraced; Irish stews and Maori boil-ups are banished from their kitchen.

As a hard-core carnivore Our People takes some convincing but Vernei's adamant what she and her family eats is beautiful food, chocker with home-made 'yummy stuff'.

"I make my own cashew camembert cheese, my husband his own tempeh [fermented soybean cakes originating from Indonesia]."

So what tuned them to this style of feasting?

"I've always been fit and healthy but as a family we wanted to introduce some changes to our way of eating and it just turned out finding plant-based food has been amazing for us, for the animals because we don't eat them and good for the environment too."

With her sheen sussed and before we revert to her international affair of the heart there's another matter to canvass - it's that very un-Maori name of hers. Was she, we ponder, named after that rather moreish French methode champonise Veuve du Vernay?

No, we've got our continents wrong. Vernei's version of the name's Indian.

"My dad and his cousin used to watch this Indian programme with girls in it called Veena and Vernei, that's how my sister and I got our names."

That consigns our bubbly stuff theory that so matches her personality to the cellar.

"I do enjoy it, but don't drink very often."

We return her to the genesis of that Maori-Irish partnership that began across a crowded supermarket eight years ago.

"We met in August 1999, by December we were flatting together, I proposed to him in February, 2000."

And, no, it wasn't Leap Day, it was because Vernei felt the timing was right.

"He said 'are you sure?' and there was no going back."

Within a month Gerald's mum, her close friend and Gerald's youngest brother had arrived to inspect the Maori wahine he'd embraced.

"His mum brought her engagement ring out for us, he got down on his knee and this time did the proposing in front of his family, I shed a few tears, said 'yes'."

They married in the Government Gardens 10 months later. The reception was at Zambique restaurant (now Solace) by then it was where both were working, Gerald as a sous chef, Vernei waitressing.

They honeymooned in the Far North with Gerald's sister for company.

"Three days before Christmas we flew off to Northern Ireland for our next adventure. It was beautiful, I wished and wished for snow on Christmas Day, it didn't happen but three days later the region had its biggest snow fall in 20 years, it was so magical."

The Mullens remained in County Down 11 months, Vernei working as a farm hand on a pedigree pig breeding property owned by a couple of magistrates "I was even building stone walls." Gerald returned to cheffing.

Sports-mad Vernei signed on for the local camogie team, a high-impact Irish invention that combines the stick and ball skills of hockey, basketball, rugby and tennis.

"I certainly took a few hammerings but absolutely loved it."

The couple had booked to visit friends in London when, without warning, the flight was cancelled.

"It was 9/11, that really scared us, it's part of the reason we came home."

Since their return Gerald's parents, two brothers and his sister have emigrated, all to the Bay of Plenty.

After various jobs Vernei joined the Aquatic Centre as a swim instructor, moving to assorted management roles, taking minimum time off to have the couple's two sons, Paeder and Conor.

"They have both Irish and Maori names, Paeder's second name's Kereti which closely translates to Gerald, Conor's Maori name's Tanara which was my dad's name. It's pretty awesome for those kids to have two heritages."

Council restructuring in 2014 sent Vernei to the main council offices as community engagement and events advisor.

She loved the work, especially her close involvement with Anzac Day commemorations, but when she saw her former stomping ground was after a swim school manager, she applied, emphasising her successful appointment was made from outside the council.

"It's great to be back, it's a job that really excites me having the opportunity to teach people to be safe in and around water, to still be providing services and programmes to our community."

VERNEI MULLEN:
Born: Pukekohe, 1980.
Education: Maramarua, Westbrook, Western Heights, Sunset primaries; Sunset Intermediate; Western Heights High.
Family: Husband Gerald Mullen "he's been with the police 11 years." Sons Paeder, 8, Conor, 5.
Interests: Family, friends, food. "I'm really outdoorsy, have played rugby, netball, cricket. In Ireland I also played Gaelic football." Mountain biking, swimming. "I've done triathlons in the past and intend to do another this summer."
Iwi affiliations: Nga Puhi, Tainui, Te Arawa.
On being married to an Irishman: "He's the most amazing soul mate anyone could find."
On Rotorua: "It's such a spiritual place where the senses are highlighted."
Personal philosophy: "Strive, believe, achieve."