TEU welcomes Hēmi Houkāmau as new Te Pou Tuarā.

Te Hautū Kahurangi | Tertiary Education Union is delighted to welcome Hēmi Houkāmau to our staff as our new Te Pou Tuarā | Māori Officer.

Hēmi started with TEU on 29 April, but he is no stranger to our union having previously served as our Vice President Māori from 2012-2015 during his stints working for Whitireia and Tai Rawhiti REAP.

Hemi says “I’ve been a union member since I was 17 and have always been a firm believer in unions. Somebody has to stand up for the little guy.”

“I’m here to make a difference. When the time comes for me to leave this job, I want to feel the satisfaction of having made someone else’s life better – even if it’s just for one person, let alone the tertiary education sector or for Māori TEU members.”

When it comes to his first priority in the job, Hēmi says “right now I am appealing to tāne Māori to get involved and step up for our wāhine – especially after all the sacrifices they have made for us.”

“Before colonisation, Māori men and women fought side by side. When the muskets came, the women loaded them and they fired when the men fell. Then they worked the factories and drove the busses. We’ve all got to stand up and fight for them now because what the government has done to women is disgusting.”