TOKŌ
Ngā mihi mahana o te tau hou kia koutou katoa!
Warm and happy greetings to all readers out there from Te Oranga ki Ōtākou, TOKŌ for short!
We are the student- operated association for Māori Medical Students within Otago Medical School which operates underneath Te Oranga, our national Māori Medical Students’ Association.
Our role is largely to support and advocate for our Māori students while they progress through medical school, as well as providing platforms for the discovery and further development of identity and passion within both the medical world and te Ao Māori.
We look forward to meeting you all this year and hosting some amazing events!
Check us out on Facebook or contact toko.exec@gmail.com
2023 Te Oranga ki Ōtākou Executive Team
Quinn Straker
Tumuaki
I tipu ake ahau ki te tāwharau o Tararua
I tipu ake ahau ki ngā tahataha o Ōtaki
Ko Kāi Tahu te iwi
Ko Kōpinga te Marae
No Rēkohu ahau
Ko Quinn Straker ahau
Kia ora whānau, I’m Quinn, your Tumuaki for the rest of 2024! I hail from the mighty Rēkohu
but I grew up in Ōtaki, a small town an hour north of Te Whanganui a Tara. Outside of
university I love going to the gym, rescuing stray cats and above all spending time with
people! I absolutely love yapping away and getting to know my fellow tauira. Within my role,
this is one of my most important roles, to get to know you all better. As Tumuaki it is my job
to ensure that as an exec we are working together to meet the needs of you all as tauira
Māori. So please feel free to come and have a kōrero with me (I’m often found in Te
Korowai) whether it be about studies, med school issues, support, or just a general yap I
truly am all ears.
Finally the last part of my mahi involves ensuring that the Medical School is best serving us
as tauira Māori. This mahi means that if you are even feeling uncomfortable within these
spaces, unsupported, or anything of the like, myself and my team are the people here to
advocate for you, to prevent those feelings! So make sure you reach out, no problem or
issue is too small. If you are feeling it I promise you there’s someone else in that waka with
you, so reach out. Let’s continue the work of those who came before us, and together ensure
that future tauira enter a more accepting and diverse medical school than our own.
Olivia Stevens
Tumuaki Tuarua
Ko Tarikākā tōku maunga
Ko Waipahāihi tōku awa
Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Ngāti Hāua Taumarunui tōku iwi
Nō Pōneke ahau
Kei Ōtepoti tōku kainga ināianei
Ko Olivia Stevens tōku ingoa
Kia ora e te whānau! My name is Olivia, and I am excited to be your Tumuaki Tuarua for the
remainder of 2024. I grew up in Pōneke and have lived in Ōtepoti since 2020, completing my
degree in nutrition and metabolism before entering medicine.
My mahi this year includes organising educational support for tauira Māori, and I am
privileged to be involved in all of the amazing TOKŌ kaupapa. I thoroughly enjoy getting to
know you all, so please don’t hesitate to come and have a kōrero or ask any pātai if you see
me around. I am often found in Te Korowai, usually sitting in front of the heater, as I still
haven’t got used to the cold of Ōtepoti…
I hope to be an advocate within the educational space at the medical school, making it a
culturally inclusive space that celebrates the diversity of our tauira. I look forward to working
alongside the rest of the incredible TOKŌ exec and strive to give back to our community by
providing the same support and opportunities to tauira Māori that I have been so grateful to
be a part of.
Jordan Macdonald
Kaituhi
Ka piki te wai
Ka heke te ua
Ka puta te puna
Hei rongoā
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Kai Tahu, ko Kāti Mamoe, ko Waitaha nga iwi
Ko Murihiku, ko Takutai o Te Tītī, ko Ngāti Moki nga marae
No Ōtepoti ahau
He Kaitiaki rongoā ahau
Ko Jordan Macdonald tōku ingoa
The mists ascend to the heavens, the rains fall from the clouds, a spring appears and
becomes sustenance for all. This is a great metaphor for life and health. The origins for this
proverb come from Ngā Kaitiaki o Te Puna Rongoā. I previously held a role on this executive
and bring my experience as a Pharmacist to TOKŌ. As Kaituhi, my position is varied and
one that supports this ropū. I love to cook, and have lived in Ōtepoti my whole life. As a
member of this exec I hope to inspire others and to give back to this community, as it has
uplifted me from the second I arrived back at university.
Dayna Gallagher
Mātāmua
Ko Whakapungaki me Pirongia ngā maunga
Ko Wairoa me Waipā ngā awa
Ko Takitimu me Tainui ngā waka,
Ko Taihoa me Kaputuhi ngā marae
Ko Ngāti Kurupakiaka me Ngāti Pahauwera ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa me ko Ngāti Maniapoto ngā iwi
Ko Dayna Gallagher ahau.
Kia ora ! I’m Dayna, your Mātāmua for 2024. So, a bit about me—I’ve got roots all over the show. Born and raised in a little place down south called Balfour, did my high school stint in Ōtepoti, and now my whānau calls sunny Motueka home.
Right now, I’m in my final stretch of medical school, right here in Ōtepoti. My journey in medicine is hugely influenced by my whānau—they’re my main motivation.
This year, I’m all about organising some cool social events for the ALM crew and lending a hand with TOKO events too. Let’s make it a good one! 😄
Te Ropere Tipene
Kaitiaki Pūtea
Ko Aoraki me Motatau nga maunga
Ko Puketeraki me Tau Henare nga marae
Ko Kati Huirapa me Ngati Hine nga hapu
Ko Kai Tahu, Ngapuhi me Nga Motu o Whītī oku iwi
Ko Te Ropere Tipene ahau
Kia Ora e te whanau! I’m Te Ropere (most people know me as T) and I’m the Kaitiaki Putea for 2024! In a nutshell, my mahi this year involves organising our pūtea, and working with various rōpu to ensure this.
I grew up on the Hibiscus Coast, just 20 minutes north of Auckland’s Northshore, before moving to Hamilton when I was 16. Currently in my spare time you’ll catch me on the rugby field, in the gym, or just relaxing on my own buzz.
My journey in medicine has been heavily influenced by my whānau, my people, and a love for the sciences. I’m privileged to be of both Maori and Fijian descent, and the idea of being able to represent our people amongst the Medical Workspace is important to me.
I look forward to working with you all this year!
Arohas & Lolomas ✌🏽
Rangikahiwa-Juliet Ratima
Āpiha Oranga
Ko Tākitimu te waka,
Ko Tararua te pae maunga
Ko Waiohine te awa
Ko Wairarapa te moana
Ko Papawai te marae
Ko Te Uru o Tāne te pā
Ko Ngāti Kahukuraawhitia te hapū
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu te iwi
Ko Ngātuere te tangata
Kia ora e te whānau, this is Rangi or Juju or honestly, whatever you feel like calling me on the day! I’m not as impressive as our fellow exec, however, I do play fantasy golf, was a professional lucky charm, and am constantly nominated for academy awards in miscellaneous categories. My life long ambition is to become the alien ambassador for the human race. I am an expert in Harry Potter, a seasoned sock organiser, and an outlaw in Australia. When I’m stressed, I build large suspension bridges made out of chopsticks. I enjoy plotting escape routes in the event of a zombie apocalypse. And, on Wednesdays, after my routine check up with my GP, I self-diagnose myself with no less than 3 new incurable diseases…
This year, I have the pleasure of being in the role of Apiha Oranga – your welfare officer! I aim to create safe spaces, collectively and individually, facilitate whakawhangatanga, and help organise social and cultural events, throughout the year. If you ever need a korero, go for a hiikoi, or just grab a coffee, just flick me a message 🙂
Maioha Taleni
Te Āo Māori Officer
E ngā mana e ngā reo e ngā karangaranga maha, tēnā rā koutou katoa!
Ko wai au? He uri tēnei nō Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Awa, Ngāpuhi me Te Arawa. Ko Maioha
Haimona-Ngawharau tōku ingoa.
I am grateful to be the Te Ao Māori Officer for OUMSA Exec 2024. As Te Ao Māori officer I hope
to be an advocate for Māori in all spaces within our medical school, and to be a force in creating
a culturally safe environment for all tauira to learn. I aspire to normalise the use of Te Reo Māori
in our learning, and provide opportunities for tauira māori to work with rangatahi through kura
kaupapa and outreach programs to draw more of our people into health professions. I am also
fortunate to be able to lead initiatives that provide all our tauira and staff in the medical school
opportunities to learn more of Ngā mea Māori. I am so excited to work alongside our amazing
team on both the TOKO Exec and OUMSA to ensure tikanga and kawa are upheld in all our
mahi as promising health professionals. Most importantly, I want to make 2024 an even better
year of learning for all tauira, Māori and Non-Māori so we can all enjoy our experience at medical
school. If you are a tauira with ideas, concerns, aspirations or pātai, tēnā koa, pā mai! I am super
keen to connect and have a kōrero with others!
Meg MacGregor-Dunn
Kaitakawaenga
Ko Tararua te Maunga
Ko Hokio te awa
Ko Punahau, Ngārue, Ngāi Te Ao, Ngāti Tamarangi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Whanokirangi, Ngāti
Pariri nga Hapū
Ko Muaūpoko te Iwi
Ko Kohuturoa raua ko Kawiu nga marae
Ko Meg ahau
Kia ora e hoa mā! I’m Meg and I am your kaitakawaenga for 2024! I hail from the mighty
Manawatu, growing up in a little place called Opiki. When I am not in the library studying or
in lectures you will either find me in the kitchen or in the gym. I am what people like to call a
gymrat but I try not to make it my whole personality I swear!
My passion for health science and the joy I get from helping others is what has brought me
to medicine. I’ve wanted to be a doctor since I was 8 years old.
My mahi this year involves organising some fun social events and keeping in cahoots with
other exec teams and TRM. I am always up for a yarn or even just a listen if you need
someone to vent to. Super big on hugs aswell so if you are ever feeling hug deprived you
know who to go to. I am super excited to see what this year has in store!
Manutai Wi Rutene-Pomare
Māngai Tau Tuarua
Ko wai tēnei? He uri tēnei nō ngā tai e rua, nō Ngāti Toarangatira, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Mutunga, Rongomaiwahine me Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki. Ko Manutai Wi Rutene-Pomare tōku ingoa.
Tēnā tātou e te whānau. My name is Manutai and my role is as your Māngai Tau Tuarua on TOKŌ this year. I grew up in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, pre-covid I was fortunate enough to have lived, worked and studied in Germany. You can catch me either on the maunga snowboarding (rebelling against my pāpā IFYKYK), with my brothers or iwi playing golf, or at the broncos vs warriors game in June (up the wahs!).
My mahi this year will be in organising ELM2 academic tutorials and study buddies. I am committed to creating safer spaces for us to connect regardless of our positionality. My hope is that by strengthening our relationships and developing tikanga based professionalism we will be a cohort of young doctors in training firmly committed to attaining health equity. I love connecting with people and having a kōrero, so nau mai whānau.
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