Tākuta is a descendant of Takitimu, Kurahaupō and Horouta waka. His whakapapa ties him to Kāi Tahu and Kāti Māmoe in Te Waipounamu and to Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Apa and Rangitāne in Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui and to Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāti Porou. Raised in the small coastal village of Pōrangahau, Tākuta has a close affinity to land and sea “I understand that it is that close affinity that grounds me in knowing who I am and where I come from. My identity, the land and the ocean are one in the same thing.”

He tāngata marae a Tākuta. He is just as often found on the paepae as he is diving for kaimoana and serving multiple kaupapa. A leader of Tamatea Arikinui, kapa haka plays a huge role in Tākuta’s life. Grounded in whakapapa, history, kōrero tuku iho, Tākuta ensures that the vision our tīpuna have for us as mokopuna is brought to life. For Tākuta, an Aotearoa hou is an Aotearoa that is safe for our tamariki and their families to grow in. An Aotearoa where we don’t have to worry about the authorities being unfair to our children. An Aotearoa where we can all feel a deep connection and a sense of belonging to our home. A place that recognises te Tiriti o Waitangi in the betterment of the collective.

Ko te kai a te rangatira, he kōrero. Ko te tohu o te rangatira he manaaki. Ko te mahi a te rangatira he whakatira i te iwi.