Ema Weepu
“E nkā mana, e nkā reo, e nkā waka, e nkā karankarankatanka o te Ao nei, tēnā koutou kātoa. Te whatu o Poutini, he taonka whakamoe i te whare. He uri ahau o Rakaihautu. Waitaha, Mamoe, Kai Tahu āku Iwi. Ko Eli Tihau Weepu raua ko Catherine Henrietta TeWhe Robinson āku mātua. Ko Ema Roriana Weepu tāku inkoa. “Mā Io mātua kore tātou e manaaki, māna tātou e tiaki, māna anō e tuku iho te rankimarie ki a tātou aianei, ake tonu atu.”
What three issues facing youth today do you feel particularly strongly about?
Three major youth issues I feel strongly about are: suicide – ka mate; whakapapa – ka ora; and matauranga – ka marama (Whiti te Ra).
What changes would you like to make to the way New Zealand is governed?
I would like to see an equal partnership between Māori and government within local, regional and national governance, at all levels of determination. I would also like to see fiscal and responsible governance/kaitiakitanga.
This can be achieved through local whānau, hapū and iwi representation. I would like to see true democratic selection of eligible Māori participants. I would like to see kaumatua tautoko of the selection process.
What actions, if any, are you planning to contribute to the constitutional review?
My whakaaro, time and self.
