Bonnie Maihi

Nui te mihi whaanau 
 

He uri tenei no Waikato Maniapoto
Ki te taha o taaku whare tanagata/mama

 Ko Rere a Manu, Tokikapa me Rakaaunui aku marae
 Ko Mangapu te awa
 Ko pirongia re maunga
 Ko Huiao me Ke kanawa ngaa hapuu
 Ko Tainui te waka
 Ko Kawhia te Moana
 Ko Ngati Maniapoto te iwi
 
ki te taha o taaku urutu/papa
 
 Ko Te Tihi o Moerangi, Te-Papa-O-Rotu me Omaeroa aku marae
 Ko Te Maari te awa
 Ki Karioi te Maunga
 Ko Ngati Te Wehi me Ngati Mahanga ki uta ki tae ngaa hapuu
 Ko Tainui te waka
 Ko Aotea te Moana
 Ko Waikato- Tainui te iwi
 
 Ano hoki taku pepeha mai kirikiriroa
 
 Ko Waikato te awa
 Ko Taupiri te maunga
 Ko Tainui te waka
 Ko Potatau Te Wherowhero te tangata
 Ko Waikato Tainui te iwi 

Ngaa mihi o te waa 

My name is Bonnie Maihi,  I am a doctoral candidate at The University of Waikato currently awaiting the return of my work for final assessment. In my professional role, I team lead a Women’s reintegration hub and work closely with our Wahine/Women who are leaving the prison space and reintegrating back into their communities.  

Previous work has been in a parenting center working with Mothers and their children who were assigned to us by Oranga Tamariki.  I was also a rangatahi mentor and assisted our youth who were navigating the Justice system, alongside a mentor within the Faculty of Māori and Indigenous studies at The University of Waikato. 

Additional to this I occupy various roles within a whaanau, marae, hapuu and iwi capacity. I am the secretary of our whaanau trust, a treasurer for a wider whaanau land block located in Makomako. I am also one of two marae representatives in our tribal parliament Te Whakakitenga o Waikato, and I have undertaken mahi on behalf of my iwi within our Waikato Tainui Research and Development College based in Hopuhopu. 

In all facets of my life I ensure I am assisting our people in some capacity or another. The qualities I utilize are integrity, justice, honor, and appreciation for people in all their forms. I remain non-judgmental and hold powerful compassion. 

My hopes and aspirations are to see our whaanau and communities thrive through self-empowerment and the confidence to know that no matter what our circumstances in life, if we believe in ourselves we can achieve whatever it is we put our minds to.