Riria Hana Ropata has been in her role as pūkenga (tutor) for the Poutuarongo Kawa Oranga programme (Bachelor of Health Promotion, Sport and Exercise Science) for just over a year, and she is loving it. She began her career with Te Wānanga o Raukawa about 10 years ago, starting with the IT Helpdesk, moving to Te Whare Kōrero as a kaikōkiri (administrator) and then changing roles to a pūkenga for the Poupou Huia Te Reo programme, and now with the Poutuarongo Kawa Oranga programme. Her interests outside of work include netball and rugby, which she plays for local club, Rāhui, and powerlifting with the Kāpiti Powerlifting Club. Sporting pursuits were always something Riria participated in. Training and doing circuits were the norm when she was a kura student and for her this continued after leaving. While not enjoying it so much then, Riria has since found that this is something she now gets much pleasure from.   

When lifting weights, Riria thought, “I could do something with this; I’m strong”. Then by chance in about 2015/2016, Isaac King, a trainer and powerlifting coach from Paraparaumu saw a video of Riria doing a dead lift and invited her to join the Kāpiti Powerlifting Club. Isaac took her through a couple of training sessions and then she attended team training and her passion for training and powerlifting developed from there. She has been powerlifting competitively for about 5-6 years. The three main lifts for powerlifting are the back squat, bench press and dead lift. Riria is the World Powerlifting Champion for the Women’s 100kg plus category, for Deadlift and Total lift at 252 kgs and 599kgs respectively setting these records in Auckland on 30 January 2021. She is also the Oceania Champion with these records. Her last competition was held this past weekend of 23-24 April 2022, where she competed in the Wellington and Central Powerlifting Regionals. Riria won everything in her weight category of 84kg plus; first in back squat, first in bench press, first in dead lift, first in weight class, and best overall female.

With a Poutāhū Te Reo Māori (Postgraduate Diploma in Te Reo Māori), world titles in powerlifting, and a strong work ethic, Riria is well placed to be part of the teaching team for the Poutuarongo Kawa Oranga. 

Riria is Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa ki Whakarongotai and Ngāti Toa Rangatira. She is named after her Great great grandmother Riria and her Great grandmother’s cousin, Hana Te Hemara, an activist and founding member of Ngā Tamatoa. She is an only child and is well known amongst her Ngāti Raukawa whānau and on the Ōtaki marae and is very much at ease there.

“I hope to see the confidence grow in each student …"

As a pūkenga, Riria has voiced her hopes for the students of Poutuarongo Kawa Oranga, “I hope to see the confidence grow in each student, and that they will take what they learn and put it into practise with their whānau hapū and iwi”.

Ko te pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko te pae tata whakamaua kia tina!

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