Mr Heemi Walker

Tuia ki runga, tuia ki raro

Tuia te pou herenga waka

E te Kiingi Maaori, Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero te tuawhitu, teenei ka mihi.

Tangihia raa ko ngaa mate tuaauriuri, whaaioio. 

Raatou ki a raatou, taatou ki a taatou

Teenaa koutou katoa.

He uri teenei noo ngaa whaapito o Te Tairaawhiti me oona pekanga ki roto i a 

Te Whakatoohea, Te Whaanau-a-Apanui me Ngaati Porou.

Kia ora, my name is Heemi Walker and I have the honour and privilege of serving the whaanau and rangatahi of Southwest Hamilton as one of four Deputy Principals of the new Mangakōtukutuku College, under the leadership and guidance of our tumuaki, Dr Thilo Govender. I have two beautiful daughters who attend full immersion Maaori schooling alongside their mother, my partner who is a senior teacher at our local kura kaupapa. I am a first-language speaker of Maaori descent who is passionate about the development and advancement of kaupapa Maaori educational aspirations. I come from a family deeply-rooted in tikanga and te ao Maaori identity, but also recognise the importance and power of education. I therefore give thanks and appreciation to my mother who gave my siblings and I the opportunity to walk in both worlds. We are all professional educators within the kohanga, kura kaupapa, wharekura and mainstream space.

I have held various leadership positions as Head of Department, Head of Faculty, Dean, Kaahui Ako leader and Assistant Principal. My philosophical passion is Maaori student achievement and have committed much of my professional career to brokering meaningful partnerships between schools and mana whenua. My specialist area is te reo Maaori and I have a genuine commitment to the development and renaissance of the language through the power of education.

I will also be working towards completing my Master’s Degree this year through a 60 point research dissertation that focuses on equity issues and challenges that Maaori students and leaders face within the mainstream education space. 

I look forward to being part of leading educational change for the rangatahi and whaanau of Southwest Hamilton. 

Naa roto anoo i te aroha,

Heemi Walker

Deputy Principal

Mangakōtukutuku  College