“Hikurangi is the mountain, Te Raparapa is the river, Ngatokimatawhaorua is the canoe, Ngāpuhi is the tribe, Ngātihine is the subtribe.”

Thomas is descendant of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngā Pōtiki tribes, born and raised on his whenua (land) here in Aotearoa – New Zealand.

The family business takes him out of this busy life in the city to give him time to reconnect with the natural surroundings and taiao Māori (natural Māori world). It also gives Thomas the precious opportunity to return back to his tūrangawaewae (ancestral home) and moana (ocean) to dive for seaweed, help with harvesting mamaku and processing the ingredients for the Te Mana skincare brand.

Thomas is finding it relaxing creating the native designs incorporated into the family brand image.

Tihei Mauri Ora!