Te Riria Ruta Amiria Te Rangiahunga Paki  

Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kauwhata Ngāti Raukawa, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Apa-hāpai-taketake 

Pūkenga, Poutuarongo Toiora Whānau, Te Wānanga o Raukawa 

Te Riria Ruta Amiria Te Rangiahunga Paki was born in Porirua and lived there with her whānau where she attended Te Aroha Kōhanga Reo in Cannon’s Creek, and then Te Awhinanui Whānau Unit which was part of Maraeroa School at Cannon’s Creek. Te Awhinanui Whānau Unit later became Te Kura Māori o Porirua. At age seven, Te Riria and her whānau moved to Ōtaki as both parents were employed as pūkenga with Te Wānanga o Raukawa. Te Riria then attended Te Kura a Iwi o Whakatupuranga Rua Mano in Ōtaki and whilst there began studies with Te Wānanga o Raukawa at age 14. 

Te Riria has completed a Poutuarongo Toiora Whānau (Bachelor of Social Work), a Poutuarongo Ahunga Tikanga (Bachelor of Māori Laws and Philosophy) and a Poutāhū Te Reo Māori (Postgraduate Diploma in Te Reo Māori) and intends to study parttime next year. 

Describing her whānau as very tight, Te Riria has two older brothers. She has a lot of nieces and nephews, but no children of her own. 

Currently, Te Riria is employed as a pūkenga to teach the year 2 students enrolled in the Poutuarongo Toiora Whānau programme. This programme is for those wanting to support whānau to make positive changes in their lives and are wanting to enter a career in the social services sector. Te Riria’ employment history includes being a te reo Māori kaiako with Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and a social worker with Capital and Coast District Health Board (CCDHB), Downtown Community Ministries, Te Whare Whakaruruhau o Raumanuka, Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa. 

When working at Capital and Coast District Health Board, Te Riria was one of two social workers who focussed on Māori patients and their needs. From there she moved to Downtown Community Ministries where she assisted the homeless into housing through many housing agencies from Emerge Aotearoa,  Kainga Ora and the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (Te Tūāpapa Kura Kainga), with obtaining identification (if you don’t have identification, you can’t register with multiple services, GP being one), with their engagement with the Ministry of Social Development and other social services, with access to dental care and GP services, to free haircuts and with food. From there she moved to Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira and Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa in the re-integration space with Te Whare Whakaruruhau o Raumanuka. She was there for about 18 months creating the re-integration space that Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira currently have now for tāne coming out of prison. As well as working with them and their whānau, she also worked with correction officers, case managers, the parole board, lawyers, probation officers, the police, rehabilitation clinics and iwi services. 

With much experience in the social services sector, Te Riria is well placed as a pūkenga with the Poutuarongo Toiora Whānau programme. Her advice to students is, “When meeting with clients, listen to them, hear their stories, hear how they are feeling. Arohanui ki te tangata.” 

He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata! 

Applications are now open for anyone inspired to work with whānau Māori, become a Toiora Whānau practitioner visit Poutuarongo Toiora Whānau - Bachelor of Social Work (wananga.com) to learn more.