Quack Pirihi  

Pronouns: They/them/their 

Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whatua o Kaipara, Patuharakeke 

Takatāpui 

Youth Worker 

Student, Heke Reo Māori 2024 

5 November 2024

Following a whānau loss, Quack gifted themself this name. They describe it as taking off a korowai of mamae and replacing it with what felt better reflected their cheekiness and “out the gate-ness”.  Also, it had been their nickname for ages. 

Quack grew up in Panmure, Tāmaki Makaurau with their mother. They are the youngest and a twin in a whānau with seven tamariki. Their mostly absent father was their connection to taha Māori and they didn’t know their grandparents too well either. 

They attended high school in central Auckland before moving to South Auckland. Subsequent to kura, Quack worked for McDonalds for four years and then obtained work at a school which kickstarted their career in youth work, climate change work and social media. 

Quack became involved with climate change through Greenpeace. In 2023, they were part of the Pacific delegation to the 28th Session of the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica. This body regulates activities in the international seabed area. This equates to about 54% of the world’s oceans. To highlight their opposition to seabed mining, Quack and others from their delegation put themselves in front of a deep-sea mining research vessel off the coast of Puerto Rico. The image of Quack holding the Tino Rangatira flag during the protest blew up on social media. They continue to be involved in climate change kaupapa with wānanga, advisory work and engaging rangatahi. They are passionate and committed to the climate change kaupapa and have put themself in the path of danger for this cause - a warrior. 

Quack has a following of over 12,000 on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/quackpirihi/ where climate change as well as other kaupapa are issues.   

As a young takatāpui Quack found the world an interesting place to grow up. They do think that all Māori institutions should spend time exploring what they could be doing better for their tauira takatāpui and kaimahi takatāpui. One of their goals is to support takatāpui to thrive. They are interested in reviving the student body organisation, Te Rōpū Whaiti o ngā Tauira o Te Wānanga o Raukawa. 

Another of their goals for life is to restore carvings to Te Tai Tokerau. During the 1820s it was recorded by Augustus Earle and there was a wealth of whakairo in the north, only to virtually disappear from the region within a few years due to Christian and Pākehā influence. 

The first in their immediate whānau to pursue the study of te reo Māori at tertiary level, Quack has completed the first year with Heke Reo Māori - Diploma in Te Reo Māori and plans to graduate in December. Their intentions are to return to complete the Poutuarongo Reo Māori - Bachelor of Te Reo Māori and to go further with postgraduate studies. This decision was made after exploring how much strength there is in learning more about te reo Māori, and how powerful it is to reclaim our culture - especially our reo rangatira! 

Their father was raised without te reo and it was also the case for Quack, and their siblings who were also raised without te reo. Their pursuit of te reo is a familiar story of loss and the journey of reclamation. They have found their experience at Te Wānanga o Raukawa as a takatapui largely positive. Quack has always felt comfortable with talking with and questioning pūkenga. 

The move to Wellington was for love. They had been working since age 15 and Quack decided it was time to invest in themself so that they could give back even more to the community. They have a deep concern for the environment, for young people and for those who are still finding their voice. They decided on Te Wānanga o Raukawa for study because they had heard good things about it. They would love for their whānau to study at Te Wānanga as well, but only after they complete their own studies. They have made some good friends and some lifelong memories. 

He aha te mea nui o te ao, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata 

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