Good Sorts - Wendy Heath
Waimate volunteer Wendy Heath (68) was taught as a child to be proud of where she came from as a Māori/Ngāi Tahu, which is why she volunteers to support others in the community, so they too can feel the pride of belonging.
Wendy was born in Christchurch in 1955 but grew up in Blenheim from the age of 4 until she moved back to Christchurch when she was 15. At the age of 19 she joined the New Zealand Police (NZP) and was posted in Dunedin until 1981, when she got a transfer back to Christchurch.
From 1986 – 1987 she was an Undercover Police Officer and in 1987 she joined the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) and became a detective. In 1991 she left the NZP and went to work at Lincoln University.
While working at Lincoln University Wendy took Maori language papers through their Maori Department. However, in 1993 she decided to become a full time University student at Canterbury University, studying Oral (spoken) Māori and learning how to translate Māori manuscripts.
In 1996 she married Tewera King and they had their son Taoka in 1997. Around 1999 they moved to Morven and she went to work as a Tenancy Manager in Timaru.
From 1997 – 2001 Wendy represented Waihao Rūnanga at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and was on the Rūnanga executive at Waihao Marae in Morven. She said before representing Waihao at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu she had already been doing work as a Kaikaranga in Canterbury, Arowhenua and Waihao, doing pōwhiri and Tangi, which she continues to do today.
Between 1977 and 2001, Wendy was also in the territorials, initially as an Intelligence Operator for Otago and Southland Infantry Regiment. Then in 1979 she was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and became an Intelligence Officer and Quarter Master. When she moved back to Christchurch she was attached to three Task Force Headquarters and trained as a Prisoner of War Interrogator, as well as qualifying as a Captain. By the time she left in 2001 she was a Senior Captain.
From 2014 to 2016 Wendy studied te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, so that she could teach it. Then in 2017 she started to become involved in the Māori Anglican Church that she had been bought up in. Wendy said the Bishop of Te Waiponaumu chose to commission her as a Kaikarakia in February 2022, and since then she has been helping with services at St Augustine, in Waimate. She said in April this year she was ordained as a Deacon and is now working towards being ordained as a Priest. “I look forward to ministering to my people and anyone else that would like to come and hear me.”
Wendy said most of her volunteering is based around being available to work with the Rūnanga and Kaupapa Māori around protocols at the Waihao and Arowhenua Marae, as well as other marae she is whakapapa to. She said it means she is available to assist at things like Tangi, pōwhiri and training younger women on how to be a Kaikaranga. “I have also for many years volunteered until recently as Kaikaranga o Te Waihao Marae and supported our Kaumātua, Aunty Sis Te Maihaoroa Dodds.”
Wendy is often called upon to do Māori blessings for people, at events and openings in the Waimate community and to help advise community groups on Māori history, traditions, issues, and protocols. She said she has helped to run the Waimate schools Matariki Festival and is involved in Kapa Haka. “I also do public speaking on Māori issues in the community, [for example], talking about what Māori traditions, like Matariki mean to my people.”
Wendy is also volunteering her time as a Kaikarakia and Deacon in the Mori Anglican church. She is also on the Anglican Care Divisional committee in Timaru and has recently been co-opted into the Anglican Care Trust board in Christchurch. Wendy said as a child she was blessed to have the parents she had, as they taught her what love meant, to be proud of who she was and to give back.
She said she was brought up knowing how lucky she was to come from and live in a country like New Zealand. “My parents taught me how important love is, they wanted us to grow up to be good people, which is such a blessing, as it has given me a place of strength to come from when supporting my community. I want other people to feel the love and pride of belonging that I was given,” she said.
If you would like to contact Wendy about anything she is involved in please contact her on 027 601 6558.
“Waimate is an amazing community to live in with a high rate of volunteers in all sorts of areas, because that is just what Waimate people do,” said Wendy.
By Amelia King