FROM THE DESK OF TUHI RUAWAI

FROM THE DESK OF BRAND AMBASSADOR TUHI RUAWAI

Tena Koutou, my name is Tuhi Ruawai. I am Tuhoe on my mothers’ side and Ngati Maniapoto on my fathers’ side. Encased in my Whakapapa is a tradition of being outspoken!

I was raised by my Tuhoe Kuia (Great Grandmother) in the Ruatoki Valley, in line with our custom that the eldest child be raised by the elders and immersed in the customs and values of my Tuhoetanga.

This meant I wasn’t introduced to the English language until I started school and, as you might expect having been immersed in Maori culture all my life, I initially struggled to comprehend the English Language and customs. Growing up living and working in New Zealand, I have come to learn how disadvantaged Maori often can be when it comes to fair and equitable representation in the New Zealand Justice system.

Armed with my own life experience, it became my dream to enable Maori greater access to justice and to learn how to “bind the law”.

This powerful quote by Maori Spiritual leader, Te Kooti, once said “Ma te Ture te Ture hei aki” (“Only the law can be pitched against the law”) motivated me to look deeper and refine my knowledge of New Zealand law. I started helping my community by acting as a support person both inside and outside of local courts and tribunals. What started out as assistance with letter writing and phone calls, soon became appearing at court conferences and tribunal hearings in a support capacity.

I practiced for a number of years as an untrained McKenzie friend and admit my results were patchy. It quickly became clear that self-litigants did not have access to a level playing field, with lawyers almost always taking over with their superior knowledge of the relevant laws and court procedures and processes. I also came to realise that while the law in New Zealand allows anyone to act as a support person, there was no formal training available to properly equip people to navigate the court systems, practices and procedures.

Until 2017, I thought the only way to learn how to operate within the court system was by going to law school and becoming a practicing lawyer, something that didn’t appeal to me. However, during that fateful year, I was invited to listen to former senior Barrister Vinay Deobhakta, speak at a presentation on McKenzie friends.

What he said immediately resonated with me. There and then, I made the life changing decision to enroll and train to become a professional McKenzie friend through Vinay’s company, “McKenzie Friend Professionals Limited”.

I completed my McKenzie friend training with Vinay in 2018 and, later that year, featured in an article on McKenzie friends by the New Zealand Law Society.
I was very proud to offer a genuine, well balanced view on the reality for Maori clients while it appeared those lawyers asked to contribute from “the Bar”, seemed to offer their own viewpoint which with respect, could be holding the success of the Family Court back.

Tui Tuia Te Ture, to sew/bind or integrate our two laws.