Hana Harawira

Age: I have to admit I'm over 40 now because my younger sister refuses to lie about her age and my kids are getting confused.

Iwi: Tuhoe, Ngai Te Rangi, Ngati Ranginui

Dependants: I have five children, Manaakitanga 18, Tioke Raerino 16, Rauru 10, Hopaea 8 and my new baby girl Waicy (born December 13, 2006 and named after my mother who she shares a birthday with). I also have a mokopuna Eru, whose parents MUST be made dependent on me so I can have him when I want!

What do I do? I manage services for the Tuhoe Matauranga Trust which is based in Taneatua. Te Kaokao o Takapau is the Health and Disability Service of the Trust. I'm the Chief Walah Walah Kaiwhakahaere of the Service. I have been mistaken for the cleaner though and once I was with one of my workers who introduced me to someone as her boss. He just laughed and when she insisted I really was her boss he kept telling her to stop joking!

Education/Experience: Postgraduate Management Degree, Waikato University; Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Teaching, Christchurch Polytechnic 2003; Maori Public Health Leadership Graduate, 2002; Kaupapa Maori Research (paper towards a Masters of Arts), Waikato University, Hamilton 2001; Bachelor of Arts Waikato University, Hamilton,1988.
I have a vague ambition to complete some kind of postgraduate degree. I began studying for a Master of Arts in 2002, picked up the postgraduate certificate in clinical teaching because I promised a good friend of mine to I would join her in a Post Graduate Management Diploma (this never happened ... oops)

Interests: I have a secret ambition to be an illustrator so I occasionally dump my workload and join up with other artists. I travel overseas once a year. My kids are left with a good supply of weetbix. I work ridiculous hours and my kids, thank goodness, have adoring grandparents and whanau who kidnap them because of their workaholic mama.