Rotorua Daily Post
  • Rotorua Daily Post home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Sport
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Residential property listings
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Rural
  • Sport

Locations

  • Tauranga
  • Te Puke
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō & Tūrangi

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales

Weather

  • Rotorua
  • Tauranga
  • Whakatāne
  • Tokoroa
  • Taupō

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Boys' High head prefects named as Te Ao Taumatangi Billing and Manukau Whata

Zizi Sparks
By Zizi Sparks
Multimedia journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
8 Feb, 2019 09:30 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

RBHS head and deputy-head boys announced

When the names Te Ao Taumatangi Billing and Manukau Whata were called at a Rotorua Boys' High assembly as the 2019 head boy and deputy head boy, the pair was shocked.

"I was a little bit like 'was that my name?' It took a couple of seconds to register," Te Ao Taumatangi said.

"It's something I've never thought of achieving in my life."

Manukau, 17, said when his name was called as deputy, his reaction was blank while it registered.

"It was pretty mind-blowing."

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Rotorua Boys' High School deputy head boy Manukau Whata and head boy Te Ao Taumatangi Billing, both 17. Photo / Stephen Parker
Rotorua Boys' High School deputy head boy Manukau Whata and head boy Te Ao Taumatangi Billing, both 17. Photo / Stephen Parker

Both the boys went to kura kaupapa schools, with Manukau only learning English from Year 9, and Te Ao only learning from Year 7.

Manukau hoped in his role he could "uphold the mana of Raukura" and bring the school success in rugby and kapa haka, some of his interests.

Te Ao Taumatangi hoped he could be a role model to those striving to be the head boy in the future

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I'm looking forward to the role. I'm excited and nervous for the year. I'm not used to being in the limelight.

"I'd like to be a great head boy that everyone looks up to. It's a big role and there are big shoes to fill."

For Te Ao Taumatangi 2018 was a turbulent year. A bad rugby injury saw him bed-ridden for five days but he went on to play a key role in the school play.

This year the 17-year-old hopes to get back on the rugby field.

Discover more

Our People: Josh Pomare, the next big thing

01 Feb 10:00 PM

School kids spend lunchtimes under sprinklers to keep cool

30 Jan 07:30 PM

Letters: School holidays should end after Waitangi

31 Jan 03:00 PM

Eight-year-old boy helping feed hungry peers

31 Jan 08:00 PM

"It took a hard toll mentally ... It was a tough situation but my family were there 100 per cent by my side."

He has been named in a school squad headed to France in April this year but has yet to play his first game since the accident.

When asked what made him a good fit for the role, Te Ao Taumatangi said it was his ability to connect with people, particularly those in the school hostel where he's lived for four years.

"The first week is always the toughest, you're away from home, mum won't do your washing or cleaning.

"For some boys, that's really hard."

There are high standards in the hostel and Te Ao Taumatangi has high standards for himself too.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Both he and Manukau said they would bring their culture to the roles and embrace their Māori culture.

"I love who I am and I love our culture," Te Ao Taumatangi said.

Rotorua's other 2019 head prefects shared their reactions to the news in today's Rotorua Daily Post.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Rotorua Daily Post

Heavy rain warnings: BoP acts like 'scoop' for wild weather

02 Jul 09:19 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Heating or eating a tough call for some after rates rise, says councillor

02 Jul 09:13 PM
Rotorua Daily Post

Armed police block Rotorua street

02 Jul 09:10 PM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Rotorua Daily Post

Heavy rain warnings: BoP acts like 'scoop' for wild weather

Heavy rain warnings: BoP acts like 'scoop' for wild weather

02 Jul 09:19 PM

A severe thunderstorm watch is in place for the region tonight.

Heating or eating a tough call for some after rates rise, says councillor

Heating or eating a tough call for some after rates rise, says councillor

02 Jul 09:13 PM
Armed police block Rotorua street

Armed police block Rotorua street

02 Jul 09:10 PM
Students cap off 9h endurance challenge by hauling loaded fire truck

Students cap off 9h endurance challenge by hauling loaded fire truck

02 Jul 09:00 PM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Rotorua Daily Post e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Rotorua Daily Post
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP