Wānanga kaiako and small-town gym owner wins NZ Exercise Award
Kaitaia local Dena-Maree Hemara (nō Te Māhurehure me Ngāti Rangi) wears multiple pōtae – business owner, kaiako, contractor, māmā – and now she can add NZ Exercise Award winner to that bundle.
Tikanga kaiako Dena-Maree, owns Whitirau Cross100, a cross-fit gym in Kaitaia she started in September 2022 when she was unable to travel to Kaikohe to her preferred cross-fit classes.
By winning the inaugural Te Piki Oranga award at this year’s NZ Exercise Awards, her humble, small-town gym has been acknowledged for their kaupapa and contribution to community hauora.
Te Piki Oranga, the first Māori category award, can be understood as ‘elevating the lifestyle or longevity of someone’s health’.
“That’s exactly what we are trying to embody and role model. Our goal is to consistently role model the values and teachings of our ancestors through this model of hauora, of pakihi, of reo, of tikanga. With this taonga it elevates us to be more responsible to get out there and share what we do. Whitirau, whakawhiti i ngā rau whakaaro, kia aro pū ki te hauora o tangata, kia taurite pai, ko te whare tapawha,” she says.
Functional fitness classes at Whitirau Cross100 are predominantly in te reo Māori and clients are encouraged to bring their tamariki. By providing an environment where barriers can be overcome and Māori can hear their language, Dena-Maree is aiming to change hauora in her community.
Dena-Maree has found a lot of cross-over between running functional fitness classes, and teaching Te Whāinga o Te Ao Tikanga at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
She was drawn to Te Wānanga o Aotearoa as she wanted to be somewhere she could combine her knowledge and skills in te reo and tikanga with her commitment to improving hauora and allowing people to grow.
Dena-Maree has watched her tauira grow in confidence, with some wanting to delve into their whakapapa or expand their pepeha.
She describes her tikanga classes, with a strong hauora strand focusing on balancing Te Whare Tapa Whā, as a way of broadening connection within a community.
“They’re an introduction to how we can enhance growth of mātauranga Māori and tikanga in our everyday lives. I get to drop little gems here and there on what tikanga means to me and how I embody that every day,” she says.
The desire to help others understand their own journey of learning, and how they can improve their lifestyle and connection with te ao Māori is what drives Dena-Maree.
She is teaching people through tikanga and functional fitness that change can be created from the small moments when we prioritise ourselves and our hauora.
“I’m here to elevate that waka o te ora. If you believe, are passionate and driven, and have the support of your people and your ancestors, then anything is achievable,” she says.
Pūrongo whakahirahira
Featured stories
Cambridge Museum project guided by wānanga tikanga studies
Cambridge Museum manager, Elizabeth Harvey, is combining her tikanga studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa with her passion for local history, to support the museum’s Voices of Cambridge project.
Wānanga launches first of their kind mātauranga Māori certificates, marking a new era for Indigenous knowledge education
Responding to the growing needs and aspirations of tauira, iwi and communities, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa is breaking new ground with the launch of 2 new Level 4 certificates that will be the first standalone programmes of their kind in Aotearoa.
Learning tikanga to strengthen community work
After making the move to Aotearoa in 2014 from Germany, Almaz Bergz set out to gain a better understanding of the people, whenua, and culture that shape life here.
Thriving as a kaiako after He Korowai Ākonga
When Marlena Martin began her studies in He Korowai Ākonga – Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) in 2023, she never imagined where it would take her and how much she would grow as an individual.
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa launches new international reo Māori learning
iReo is a flexible, self-directed, online short course made up of 5 standalone modules, each running over 6 weeks. Learners can study at their own pace, weaving te reo Māori into everyday life alongside work, whānau, and other commitments.
Wānanga business programme helps launch The Dog Nanny
Ōtautahi local Jane Dungey turned her passion for animals into The Dog Nanny after completing the Certificate in Small Business at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
From closed doors to open pathways
After the closure of Grace Foundation Whanganui, Craig Kara used his Manaaki Tāngata studies at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa to create Te Ara Kimihia, a kaupapa supporting tāne toward positive futures. His journey of healing, leadership, and transformation now inspires others to find their own pathway forward.
Governance grounded in te ao Māori for future generations
Discover how Māori governance grounded in te ao Māori is shaping future generations. Learn about Manu Taiko – Toro Parirau, a unique programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that empowers whānau with tikanga-based leadership and decision-making skills.
Companion of Te Apārangi, Champion of Te Reo Māori
Te Rita Papesch, musician, educator, and kapa haka stalwart, has been inducted as a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. Discover her inspiring journey of music, haka, and te reo Māori, and how her lifelong dedication to Māori culture shaped generations.
Keil Caskey – former tauira, now kaiako
Keil Caskey’s journey from tauira to kaiako at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa shows the transformative power of toi Māori education. Discover how his passion for taonga pūoro and commitment to whānau and whakapapa inspired him to teach and give back to his community.
Building confidence, careers, and culture through Māori performing arts
Discover how Te Wānanga o Aotearoa’s Certificate in Māori Performing Arts goes beyond kapa haka, empowering tauira with skills in drama, screen acting, and public speaking. Hear how graduates like Niquita Samuel are building confidence, careers, and cultural pride.
Making connections between media and Māoritanga
Lizzie Dunn created Te Arawhata to help people reconnect with te ao Māori through media, resources, and kōrero. Discover how her reo journey and passion for sharing knowledge are inspiring thousands to embrace Māoritanga and strengthen cultural connections.