A proud 21-year-old descendant of Ngāti Whātua, raised in Ōrākei, Waimarie is a new kanohi (face) you may have seen or will see in Te Tōangaroa.  

After completing a summer internship with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, the owners of the land in Te Tōangaroa, in the Communications team, Waimarie has stayed on full-time as Communications and Marketing Assistant. 

Waimarie takes real pride in her Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei heritage and can recall from an early age, just how much she wanted to be a rangatahi who could give back to her iwi, her hapū, and her whānau.  

“It’s in my blood. My mum works for the iwi and so does my brother – it was inevitable. I am just lucky I really enjoy what I get to do” 

Waimarie has spent the past two years completing a Bachelor of Arts at AUT majoring in Criminology and Māori Development, after completing a Diploma in Christian Ministries at Equippers Bible College. “My faith is something that, alongside my Māoritanga, has really shaped who I am, and the interest in criminology was because of my love of shows like NCIS and Hawaii Five-0 growing up.” Waimarie says that had she not chosen to major in Criminology, she would have pursued studies in event management. A big part of Waimarie’s role is organising and hosting events and activations in Te Tōangaroa. Last month, the team served up free real fruit ice cream and plans are underway for future events in and around Māhuhu ki te Rangi Park.  

“We want to bring events that get people in the precinct, out of the office for some fresh air, green grass and human interaction even if it’s just for 10 minutes to grab a bite from a food truck and chatting to some of the thousands of people who work and live in Te Tōangaroa.” 

When Waimarie is not working you’ll find her reading, at the beach or trying to keep up with the latest TikTok trends. 

“Te Tōangaroa has so much potential and there’s so many great things in the precinct. I’m excited to explore what we have to offer and share that with everyone working, living and visiting Te Tōangaroa.  

Waimarie says that if you see her out and about (most likely grabbing a Coconut Hot Chocolate from Edi at Māhuhu Eatery), don’t be shy to say kia ora or ask her about what’s coming up. She’s always looking for new and fresh ideas about how we can make Te Tōangaroa a place for everyone to enjoy. 

“If you’ve got some fun ideas for Te Tōangaroa – come and have a chat or DM us on Instagram!”