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
2025 Te Oranga ki Ōtākou Executive Team

Rikki Fitzgerald
Kaitakawaenga
Tena tatou katoa , anei taku pepeha i te taha o toku papa
Ko Makeo te maunga
Ko waiaua te awa
Ko Waiaua te marae
Ko Ruamoko te whare tipuna
Te puritanga te whare kai
Ko ngāti patumoana te hapū
Ko whakatōhea te iwi
Ko mataatua me nukutere nga waka
Ko ruamoko raua rang te moana
Ko Rikki Fitzgerald ahau
Ko au te maunga , ko te maunga ko au
I was born and raised in Ōpōtiki and went to trident high school in whakatane. I am currently in ELM3 and came in through the HSFY pathway. I am excited to be kaitakawaenga this year for TOKO. My role involves helping everyone out in the team as support officer. I enjoy playing rugby in my spare time and am a proud member of the Ururoa wahine rugby team.

Claire Light
Tumuaki Tuarua
Ko mataatuate waka,
Ko Makeo te maunga
Ko Mataura te awa
Ko Te Anau te moana
Ko te Āti Awa, Ngati porou me Ngāi Tahu nga iwi
Ko Claire toku ingoa
Iwi – Te ĀtI Awa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu
I come from a small rural town Balfour and am excited to be Tumuaki Tuarua for TOKŌ this year.

Ben Randall
Kaituhi
Ko Horouta te waka,
Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Awatere te awa
Ko Hinerupe te marae
Ko Ngāti porou me Ngā Puhi nga iwi
Ko Ben Randle toku ingoa
Iwi – Ngāti Porou & Ngā Puhi
I am from the sunny side of Hawke’s Bay and I am kaituhi which means I scribe all the notes

Maia Vertongen
Kaitiaki Pūtea
Ko Tainui te waka,
Ko Tararua te maunga
Ko Ōtaki te awa
Ko raukawa te moana
Ko Te Pou ō Tainui te marae
Ko Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti te hapū
Ko Ngāti Raukawa te iwi
Ko Maia Vertongen toku ingoa
Iwi – Ngāti Raukawa
I am from Wellington, and this year I am the Kaitiaki Pūtea for TOKO.

Manutai Wi Rutene-Pomare
Tumuaki
Ko … te waka
Ko Whitireia, Hikurangi, Maungahaumi … ngā maunga
Ko Waiapu, te awa
Ko Raukawa te moana
Ko Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata me Rongomaiwahine nga iwi
Ko manutai toku ingoa
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.
Iwi – Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Toarangatira, Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Rongomaiwahine
I was born in Pukerua Bay and raised in Te Upoko-o-te-ika-a-Māui. It is my honour and privilege to be serving as Tumuaki on TOKŌ this year.

Leigh Albert
Mataamua
Ko Motatau me Tihirau ngā maunga
Ko Ramarama, me Whangaparaoa ngā awa
Ko Ngāti te Tarawa me Kauaetangohia ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Hine, me Whānau-a-Apanui ngā iwi.
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua me Tauira mai tawhiti nga waka,
Ko Leigh Albert ahau, he uri o Rahiri me Apanui.
Iwi – Ngāpuhi, ngāti hine, Te Whānau-a-Apanui
I hail from a little rural place called Motatau, in the Tai Tokerau. I am humbled to be mataamua for TOKŌ 2025.

Aria Armstrong
Te Āo Māori Officer
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Takitimu te maunga
Ko Takutai o Te Titi Marae
Ko Ōraka Aparima ngā hapū
Ko Ngāi Tahu ngā iwi
Ko Aria toku ingoa
Iwi – Ngāi Tahu
I grew up in Hamilton, and my whānau now live in Ashburton. It is a privilege to be Te Ao Māori officer this year.

Hayley Cox
Āpiha oranga
Ko Tainui te waka,
Ko Maungatautari te maunga,
Ko Waikato te awa,
Ko Raukawa, Ngati Tamaterā nga iwi
Ko Hayley Cox toku ingoa
Iwi – Raukawa, Ngati Tamaterā
I grew up just outside of Christchurch. I am excited to be the Āpiha oranga (welfare officer) this year.

Libby Harpur
Māngai Tau Tuatoru
Ko Uruoa, Araiteuru me Takitimu te waka,
Ko Hikaroroa te maunga
Ko Waikouaiti te awa
Ko Puketeraki te marae
Ko Kati Huirapa, Kati Hāwea me Kai Te Ruahikihiki ngā hapū
Ko Ngāi Tahu ngā iwi
Ko Libby Harpur toku ingoa
Iwi – Ngāi Tahu
I grew up in a small rural town in South Taranaki called Hāwera, and my whānau now lives in Tāmaki Makaurau. I am the Māngai Tau Tuatoru this year.

Quitara Naera
Māngai Tau Tuarua
Ko Ngatokimatawhaorua, Te Arawa ngā waka,
Ko Maungaturoto, Ngongataha ngā maunga
Ko Wairoro te awa
Ko Rotorua nui a kahumatamomoe te roto
Ko Ngawha, Paratehoata ngā marae
Ko Ngāti rangi, Ngati tiki te kohu ruamano ngā hapū
Ko Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whakaue ngā iwi
Ko Quitara Naera toku ingoa
Iwi: Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whakaue
I whakapapa to Ngāpuhi and Ngāti Whakaue but was born in Palmerston North and raised in Feilding where I attended Feilding High School before coming to Otago University. I came into Medicine through the HSFY pathway and am the Māngai Tau Tuarua (ELM2 Rep) on the TOKŌ executive this year. I am tasked with organising tutorials for ELM2 TOKŌ members and promoting events and services provided by TOKŌ to second year TOKŌ members. A fun fact about me is that I am a twin and this year you will be able to find me roaming around the Hunter Centre or the library.
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