Kiri Dewes (Kaumatua)

Ngati Porou

She was born Kiri Atawhai Tangaere, the seventh child in a family of 11.  At 7 months old she was taken by her mother’s eldest sister Riwia and her husband Henry Fox. They were unable to have children of their own and raised 18 children. Kiri often visited her birth parents during the school holidays when she was young and felt fortunate to be able to share two families. Riwia and Henry ensured that all the children had a good education to enable them to achieve in whatever career they chose.

Like her four older brothers before her, Kiri joined the teaching profession at the age of 17.  Her first appointment was the “Te Tatara e Maru Ana” primary school in Waiomatatini on the East Coast of New Zealand, followed by Hicks Bay Primary School two years later.

Two years later she was married and moved to Waihaha on the western side of Lake Taupo where her eldest son was born.  Kiri and her husband bought a home in National Park where they lived for 10 years and had four more children.  There was a shortage of school teachers at the local school so she went back to teaching, taking her babies to school with her.

In 1966 Kiri returned to Gisborne to be with her mother who passed away in 1967.  This was a great loss to Kiri however she went back to teaching in a relieving capacity at a number of Gisborne schools before moving to Christchurch.  She worked in the Autoclaving Department of Christchurch Women’s Hospital before returning to Lower Hutt where she owned and drove a taxi for five years.

In 1974 the death of her youngest brother brought Kiri to Melbourne.  When she returned home she sold her taxi and moved permanently to Australia.  “It was the beginning of a new life for me.”  She found the change quite dramatic, the pace a lot faster and the diversity of cultures and languages so different it took some getting used to!

In 1989 she returned to New Zealand and opened the first fully licensed kohanga reo in Pomare, Lower Hutt.  She attended Victoria University in Wellington where she gained her National Certificate in Early Childhood Education before moving back to Gisborne to care for her aunty.  Whilst doing long distance studies with Waikato University towards a BA degree in Maori, Kiri worked as the Cultural Advisor at Tairawhiti Polytechnic teaching students who wanted to become Maori Welfare Officers.

She returned to Melbourne in 1996 and has been busy and involved in many things ever since.  She is a life member of the Kupidabin Cultural Association Inc an international indigenous group, and is a much sought after motivational speaker who travels on their behalf regularly to many parts of the world including Africa, Hawaii and many states of the USA. She has worked in schools, colleges and holiday programmes with many different cultures here in Australia. She is currently in the process of forming an Australian Counsel of Elders, incorporating Elders from 13 diverse cultures.

Kiri is a registered interpreter-translator, International Poet of Distinction and published writer of songs, stories and poetry in New Zealand, Australia and America.  She enjoys her senior years travelling and sharing the Maori culture and stories with the world and youth here in Australia.  She is most happiest when with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

“It has been quite a struggle getting our people together to support this very necessary project for our people here in Australia. I know in my heart that when our Cultural Centre comes to fruition here in Australia our Maori customs, traditions and language will never die and our people will always have a place to stand tall as Maori in this ever changing world.   So, kia kaha tatou ki te hoe i te waka nei kia u ki uta!!!!!