Kia ora korua! Tell us a bit about yourselves?

Kia ora my name is Takaimaania Ngata-Henare. I'm 13 years old and live in Whangārei.

I'm Moana-Aroha Henry - Takaimaania's Māmā. I'm a kaiako at TKKM o Kaikohe and also work with Ako Mātātupu.

Takaimaania, we hear you’re a national table tennis champion! Tell us about how you got into that?

I tried table tennis when I was 8, but didn't start really playing until I was 11. I started because my friend was playing and so we use to go there after school. I've been play competitively since I was 11.

What do you love about table tennis?

I'm getting better at it!

Where have you travelled?

All over Aotearoa, Australia, Tonga and Poland.

Do you have a favourite memory from your table tennis journey so far?

Playing on the dinning room table with my whānau. When I started, my nan brought a net and put it up on our dining room table, and we use to play after dinner most nights.

How was the idea of making wrapping paper born?

My mum told me that I need to think of ways to fundraise for my table tennis trips around the world. I thought about how I've never seen Te Reo Māori wrapping paper, so it might be a good idea to make some. We made samples, and got some good feedback from them, so we've now released 3 birthday wrapping paper in Te Reo Māori. All funds go towards helping me to get around the world for table tennis, and this is also my contribution to normalising Te Reo Māori.

Where can we get some?!

We have a shop on our Facebook page Māu Designz -https://www.facebook.com/maudesignz/ - it's $20 for 3 rolls. Get yours and wrap your presents in Te Reo Māori!

“If you’re too big to serve, you’re too small to lead!”

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