Super mum Mawera loves life on the go

RGP 10Jul14 - Mawera Karetai, pictured with her husband Dave Barrett and children Beau, Alexi and Jack, is happy with her life of many hats. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Mawera Karetai has a drawer full of hats.

There's her chef's hat, a splendid turkey and peacock feather hat, a Kingsley Scouts hat, a tour-guiding bucket hat, a tightknit, community-spirit beanie, a brand new window-dresser cap and her favourite head warmer of all, her mum and wife hat.

There's so many hats that often Mawera doesn't get time to swap what's on her head as she goes about her day.

Originally from the South Island, Mawera was living at Wainui when a trip to Whakatane to buy feathers saw her world collide with a man who was, at the time, surrounded by 138 pheasants on his garage floor.

"I left with the feathers I wanted, some pheasant and peacock meat, a fresh fish caught that morning, and a promise from Dave Barrett that he would have dinner with me," Mawera said.
"I'd pretty much decided right then and there I was going to be his wife," she giggled. "He was stuffed really."

Dave, a three-day-a-week scientist specialising in somatic embryogenesis, chases peafowl and turkeys (eradicating the pests from farms), hunts deer and bothers the trout, according to Mawera.

Mawera and Dave had four children between them and run AIMS Limited, a company overseeing Feathergirl, a business that exports feathers throughout the world, Be Guided, a New Zealand trout fishing business, The Wild Cook which umbrellas Mawera's recipes and herb and spice rubs, and The Kids Kitchen, a cooking class for youngsters.

Mawera is also a Kingsley Scout Group leader, a columnist for the Whakatane News, ran for mayor last year, volunteers for the Eastern Bay of Plenty Chamber of Commerce and the Social Sector Trials and will be a helper at this year's business awards.

And, she says, even with all of those hats, she gets to spend lots of time with Dave and the kids.

"We do so much together as a family. And every night when he Dave gets home there's a race involving myself, the kids and the dog, to get to him first.

"He's like this tower of strength standing in the middle while everything happens around him."

And while Mawera is becoming a bit of a household name in the Eastern Bay, tomorrow she steps out of her comfort zone after being named as a finalist in the 2014 Fly Buys Mumtrepreneur Awards.

One of 15 finalists selected from 250 entrants, the awards recognise women who achieve business success while raising a family.

Mawera and Dave will be travelling to Wellington next week to attend an awards ceremony where category winners will be announced, as well as a supreme winner.

With a first prize of enough Fly Buys points to fly the entire family to New Jersey where Dave's family live, Mawera says it would be incredible to leave with a win.

"But if I don't, I will leave happier for having the experience. It's a great experience to have."

And, the best thing about the trip to Wellington is the opportunity to see her "big" son who lives in the capital.