Tena koutou

I want to share my story of self-discovery and how I overcame challenges and achieved success as a Maori male from Murupara.

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Growing up, my dad worked tirelessly to provide for our family, while my mom was a fantastic cook who could make delicious meals out of very little. They always encouraged us to be our best selves and never let anyone tell us we couldn't achieve our goals. They instilled in us the belief that we can accomplish anything if we believe in ourselves and work hard.

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Living in Murupara wasn't easy, with 22 siblings we faced issues like drug abuse, alcoholism, and violence in our community. But we learned to stay strong, fight for what we believed in, and value our family above all else.

Despite facing negativity from some teachers, I never gave up and excelled in almost everything I did at school. My parents always taught me to never let negative words bring me down, but instead, use them to grow into a strong Maori man - and that's exactly who I am today!

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After working in security for 23 years, I decided to start my own security company called Watchmen Security Limited (kaitiaki), which means protector, brother's keeper, and spiritual and natural guardian. I'm proud of what I've accomplished, and I hope my story inspires you to believe in yourself and your abilities, too!