Aroha
“Being a woman to me means being the bringer and nurturer of life. It’s recognising that we carry an inner strength passed down from a generation of tūpuna who have fought some battles on our behalf, and taking up the responsibility to carry that mantle with dignity and pride.”
Aroha is a passionate creative, an influential advocate and an empathetic leader. An overseas exchange to Europe after high school sparked her interest in reconnecting with her own Māori heritage. Now a decade into this journey, Aroha is more powerful than ever. She dedicates her time and mahi (work) to empowering tangata whenua to be proud of their Māoritanga. She does this through her design studio @maimoa.creative - where she creates content that aims to normalise and promote the use of te reo Māori (the Māori language) and raise awareness on Te Ao Māori (the Māori world). Whether it’s through her work or her ability to listen, Aroha radiates compassion and is constantly establishing safe spaces and community. Meet Aroha. This is her story.
All photos by @catherinesmithphotography
P: Please introduce yourself!
M: Kia ora, he uri au nō Ngāti Ranginui me Ngāti Raukawa, ko Aroha Tamihana tōku ingoa. My name is Aroha, and I am a creative running a Design Studio based in Tauranga inspired by my passion to promote te reo Māori and empower tangata whenua to be proud of their Māoritanga. I’m a māmā of two little tamariki (3yrs and 1.5yrs), and married to a handsome Māori teacher :)
P: Describe/define yourself in your own words
M: Intentional, passionate, driven, empathetic, and instinctive.
P: What is your favourite thing about yourself?
M: Being a good listener. Even from a young age I had a gift to genuinely listen to people and make them feel valued and respected. I would have people that I barely knew or only just met and they would pour their life story and problems out to me. The first few times I was aware of it I realised it must boil down to the fact that I have a gift to create a safe space for people to express themselves without feeling judged — and I am really humbled that I can offer that opportunity to people.
P: Tell us a story. Have you had an experience that’s defined you or made you stronger?
M: Straight after high school I applied to be an exchange student through Rotary. I ended up going to Belgium for a year, and it was such a life-changing experience for me. I was already well-travelled for my age since I grew up overseas, so I was used to adapting to new cultures, but I had never travelled without family before. The whole year I was forced out of my comfort zones. I was fully immersed in the language (French), so picked that up reasonably quickly, and I was so exhausted at the end of every day because my brain was on overdrive. I think the interesting part about being in a different culture was that I was representing my country and identity as an indigenous person from Aotearoa, and it fuelled the flame within me to reconnect with my Māoritanga, which was a part of my identity I hadn’t previously identified with too strongly. Since returning from my exchange in 2010 I have gone on a massive journey to reconnect with my Māori heritage, and my reclamation journey has allowed me to really step into my own identity with a new sense of pride and power.
P: What is one piece of advice you would give to your younger self?
M: Always trust your gut, even if you can’t explain it to others or yourself. You have incredibly strong instincts that will help guide your decisions in life.
P: What does being a woman mean to you?
M: Being a woman to me means being the bringer and nurturer of life. It’s recognising that we carry an inner strength passed down from a generation of tūpuna who have fought some battles on our behalf, and taking up the responsibility to carry that mantle with dignity and pride. It's acknowledging that we can be strong yet soft at the same time. Powerful, yet gentle. Tenacious, yet empathetic.
P: Who is one woman that inspires you? What would you say to her if she were here now?
M: My mum — hands down. Fun fact: I started crying in a job interview when I was asked “Who inspires you the most”, and when I started to answer and share how inspiring and incredible my mum is, the waterworks came and there was no stopping it. Somehow I still got the job though.
If she were here right now I would just give her a big hug. She knows how much I appreciate and admire her — I make sure to tell her on the regular.