Rawiri Bhana

Local hero award blindsides Mokopuna decisions founding father

Words Jill Nicholas

Pictures/video Stephen Parker

When a package arrived at Rawiri Bhana’s Te Komiti Nui o Ngati Whakaue office last November he was even busier than usual. 

For the many who know him that’s hard to believe as Ra (as he’s universally called) lives in a state of busy perpetual motion.

When that package was delivered he was so flat tack he put it to one side. It was a fortnight before he opened it. Inside was a medal and certificate naming him a local hero in the 2025 Kiwibank local hero New Zealander of the Year awards.

Ra was blindsided. His initial reaction was “Gee, they’ve got the wrong person.”  No, of course “they” hadn’t. An awards representative confirmed it. 

That Ra doubted the authenticity of the accolade bearing his name is indicative of this pa boy’s humility.

He accepts that others consider him a rangatira but it’s a status he’s taken a while to adapt to. 

“When I look in the mirror the person I see is just the boy who grew up in Ariariterangi Street. A kaimahi (worker) in the marae kitchen with a tea towel, broom in hand, or a potato peeler.”  

The citation accompanying his Kiwibank local hero award acknowledges the ‘too many it’s hard-to-tally’ contributions he’s made to his community, and continues to.

It notes that it was Rawiri Bhana who created the Mokopuna Decisions catch-cry, continuing: “it is possibly the most well-known kiwaha (colloquial saying) . . . a term that is now commonly used across political parties, community organisations, hapu and iwi across the motu.”

Being the person responsible for such a far-reaching phrase must surely make them feel entitled to at least some claim to fame.

For others perhaps, but not for Ra Bhana. Being seen as even slightly high profile doesn’t sit comfortably with him. 

“However I am slowly coming to accept I have a voice not only with my iwi and hapu but the wider Rotorua community.”

Mokopuna decisions, succession planning

He does concede it was a privilege to have - for want of a better word - “invented” the mokopuna-related wording. 

Privilege is a word that peppers his conversation. It’s right up there with pride and succession planning.

Mokopuna Decisions and succession planning are part and parcel of his  mantra. 

He says the philosophy behind Mokopuna Decisions is within the name.

“Its foundational idea is of closing one’s eyes and asking if their grandparents would approve of what they are about to do.”
Ra defines his involvement with Mokopuna Decisions as being all about guiding and helping younger generations to do the right thing for themselves and ‘for the ones yet to be born’.

“I have been singing that phrase to my generation for over 10 years. It was instilled in me by the people who raised and shaped me. It was their examples and leadership that shaped this.”

“I have been articulate on the boards I sit on so that in making inter-generational decisions our actions have a ripple effect as we move through the years. 

“It’s been part of my active leadership story.”

He’s adamant it’s never been about his personal gratification but that it’s for the good of the wider community.

“That it’s not just for your mokpuna but all our mokopuna.”  

As for succession planning it is, he says, about ensuring there are  younger people coming through to keep the ball rolling into the future.

“My mother’s generation missed out on the opportunities to lead. Thought wasn’t always given to succession planning.  Now we are building up the next generation of leaders.

“I am really huge on mentoring. It’s not reinventing the wheel but investing in our young.

“I mentor. They call me Uncle Ra. As their uncle I have the duty to enure they have a future and can prosper.”

Mixed heritage, Polynesian Panthers

Mention of those who raised him opens the pathway for an explanation of his mixed heritage whakapapa and his upbringing in the heart of Te Arawa territory. 

“I am very blessed that I was raised by the village of Ohinemutu but spent equal time at Maketu with my kui. My experience was not limited to a single, nuclear family. I lived in two worlds, I was raised in two perfect places. 

“I got to swim in and be sustained by the estuary at Maketu and the geothermal waters of Ohinemutu.”  

His mixed bloodline blends his “Maoriness” with his father’s Indian lineage.

“For me my Indian side is magical. My father [Nigel Bhana] is a first generation New Zealand-born Indian.

“Dad’s parents left India as unrest flared over partition in 1947.

“India was not the place to be. My grandparents jumped on a ship to Aotearoa New Zealand.”

Indian he may be, but Ra’s dad was an early member of the Polynesian Panthers movement.

For those too young to remember or who have forgotten, this was an Auckland-based radical social justice group formed in the early 1970s.

 Its aim was to target inequalities being practised against Maori and Pacifika people. Many of the latter were victims of the infamous dawn raids.

Nigel Bhana began visiting those who languished behind bars.
“So they would have someone to talk to. He was just 14 when he started running English as a second language classes for these migrants from the Pacific’s many islands.”

Ra’s proud that through his father’s Pacific Panther connections he has a swag of Pacificia people he calls aunties, uncles and cousins. 

“They’re from the Tokelau Islands, Samoa, Fiji, Niue, Tonga.

“I have Scottish and Irish blood too. Having these races in me creates a richness and understanding.”

School day taunts

However school days weren’t always easy for this “half caste kid.”

“Other kids teased me, called me a ‘curry muncher’ and reckoned I was going to own dairies.”

His daughter Anahera shares his bond with their Indian heritage.

“She is a kohanga reo teacher. When she graduates with her degree she wants to wear a sari to acknowledge that part of her whakapapa.”   

His father and mother met when both were in the Polynesian Panthers group visiting those incarcerated in Mt Eden and Paremoremo who didn’t have support groups in New Zealand, 

“At the age of 17 Dad found his Te Arawa princess and followed her to Ohinemutu.” 

Ra is the oldest of their three boys. His youngest brother, Eru Nuku, died at 35. 

This was a month out from Ra taking part in Dancing for Hospice. He dedicated his performance to Eru’s memory.   

Mulling over his school days Ra grades himself as ‘okay’ in the classroom. He was also sporty, playing rugby for the Waikite club. He was deputy head prefect in his final year at Boys’ High.

From there he enrolled at Auckland University, intending to secure a degree in psychology.

It was not to be. At the end of his second year he was back in Ohinemutu. 

“The mother of my children [Tammy Hutchins] was pregnant. She was an Ohinemutu local too.

“Our daughter was born on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1995. Their son Amaru arrived four years later.

“My daughter was my 21st birthday present. I came back home to meet her. I saw her and said ‘I am staying here. I have brought life into the world’.” 

Ra swapped study for bartending.

“My father was a publican at the Palace Tavern. He got me the job. It wasn’t the career path I thought I was going to have

but I loved it, I loved the Palace. My brother Eru worked there too.

“We had a lot of regulars such as sports journalist Simon Earl who appeared at the same time every day. I’d have his jug of Lion Brown waiting for him. 

“Lawyers like the late Harry Edward would come in looking for their clients who’d be having a quick, final beer because they knew they were likely be going away for a while.
“I met some amazing people at the Palace. I stayed there nine years.”

Waiariki, outdoor activities

The time had come for him to try something else.

“I was always active, playing rugby, mountain biking in the forest with Fred Christian, the father of Rotorua mountain biking.

“Nick Chater was running an outdoor tourism course at Waiariki Polytech. 

“I signed up. I was the oldest student. I formed a lifelong friendship with Nick.

“I got to take people rafting on the Kaituna, out mountain biking or showing them the best of our culture. Again I met some absolutely amazing people.”

“When I graduated I contracted to Nick’s company, Multi Day Adventures, now owed by the Mutu brothers. Because of the seasonal nature of the work I spent time back at Waiariki tutoring  on the tourism guiding course.

“I ended up running Nduro Events hosting riding and running events such as the Whaka 100.”

Next stop was Sport Bay of Plenty working with kids who, as Ra puts it, needed someone to motivate them. The job fitted perfectly with his skill set.  From there he transitioned to Te Papa Takaro o Te Arawa.

With Nduro sold he joined the newly formed social arm of Tauhara North No.2 Trust returning to his youth mentoring and advocacy role. It added careers advisor to his CV.

“It was ideal for my events background. I worked with some amazing people during the six years I was there.”

Putting out fires, trusts membership

He was tempted away when a friend suggested he fill in for her at Environment Bay of Plenty while she was maternity leave.

The role was senior Maori policy advisor. It was supposedly for six months. 

“When the time was up my boss said ‘you aren’t going anywhere’.

I’m still there. My role’s to act as intermediary between iwi and the council, building closer relationships to get better outcomes for our community.

“I say it’s my job to put out fires and create dialogue because if we are not talking to one another we’ve already lost.”

To that workplace line up add Ra’s appointments to a slew of national and local trusts and boards. His first was to the Rotorua Youth Centre Trust more than 20 years ago. His latest is as a trustee on the Te Arawa Iwi Partnership Board - Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.

Hard as it is to believe he reckons he’s beginning to pare back the number of organisations he’s involved with.  Last year he was on 10 trusts, now he’s down to two.

He cut his “political journey” teeth on the Mokoia Island Trust. 

“Uncle Pihopa Kingi put me on it when I was still a youngster.” 

 Ra presently chairs Te Komit Nui o Ngati Whakaue, mandated to negotiate treaty settlements and IndigiShare, an organisation dedicated to revitalising indigenous economies “through the power of koha.”

He’s recently stepped down from chairing Community Governance Aotearoa and the Mokoia Island Trust.

We’re not done yet.

Tangihanga Facebook page

There’s also the Nga Tangihanga o Te Arawa Facebook page alerting iwi to deaths, tangi and nehu (funerals).

It’s become a must read for Te Arawa and many living across the globe who are connected to the Rotorua community. 

 The page was Ra’s brainchild, born from his discovery that a cousin in Opotiki had missed the tangi of an uncle she was especially close to because she wasn’t aware he had died. 

“Everyone assumed someone else had told her. She was absolutely hurt. I was devastated for her.”

Ra acknowledges producing and updating the page, often daily, is a hefty responsibility and one in which raw emotions are involved.  

“Especially when it comes to the young with the increase in whakamomori [suicides] in that age group.

“The page operates 24/7, 365 days of the year. The responsibility came with me when I went to Italy last year with Koro Bom. (Gillies, the last surviving member of the Maori Battalion  who died in November, a couple of months shy of his 100th birthday).

Despite the workload he’s shouldered Ra regards the page as a non-negotiable community service. 

“The page is for everyone, not just Te Arawa, not just Maori but every member of the community. 

“People contact me at 2am, 3am, all hours, but it’s an absolute honour and privilege to help families going through grief to get their message out and share it with the wider community. 

“It’s somewhere people can leave messages of support and love, especially if they can’t travel to the tangi. That gives a lot of comfort to bereaved families who later get to read them and understand how loved their whanau member was.”

Ra now shares the load with his cousin, Natalie Richards, another invaluable Te Arawa lynchpin. 

Workaholic, roles to play

It must be asked how does this man cram so much into his daily schedule?   

“I’ve always been a workaholic with my work ethic being instilled in me by my parents, papa and kuia.  

“I have asked about passing some of my commitments, such as the tanigihanga page, on to others but I’m told ‘you are there for life, we trust you’ so I don’t really have a choice.”

His maternal kuia, Julie Paparoa Gordon, was among those who  instilled his work ethic in him.

“The Nannies laugh at me and say ‘you always thought you had a choice in your life, boy but we always had a plan for you, That plan is what he plan is now’.”  

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Although he knows the word  servitude gets a bad wrap he doesn’t shy away from.

“I think there is no greater honour than to work for your people. I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do at present than serve.

Deep inside me I want to serve my people but I am looking forward to the day I can step back.

“My children, my mokopuna, my nieces and nephews are part of my garden. If I have done a good job that garden will flourish, not just to be beneficial for our iwi and the wider Rotorua community but Aotearoa as a whole.”