Toi Matarua

Toi Matarua is a rangatahi-led, Indigenous research company based in Napier, Hawkes Bay. We specialise in health and wellbeing, social and justice issues pertaining to Māori. We also run & support a range of kaupapa for rangatahi. 

‘Māku’ is our social enterprise arm that allows us to employ local youth.

Meet the Rangatahi

  • Julia, MokoBoy

    Tainui

    Julia, 16yrs, attends Napier Girls High School. Her interests are rongoā, fashion, beauty, photography and mahi toi.

  • Nikora-Curtis, MokoBoy

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Nikora, 18yrs, attended Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Ara Hou. His interests are mātauranga Māori, waka ama, rugby, haka and debating.

  • Materita, MokoBoy

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Materita, 17yrs, attends William Colenso Colege. Her interests are cooking, kapahaka and learning more about her Māoritanga.

  • Hikurangi, MokoBoy

    Rongomaiwahine, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou

    Hikurangi, 14yrs, attends Te Aratika Academy. His interets are cooking and he aspires to become a chef.

  • Gracyn, MokoBoy

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Gracyn, 15yrs, is the captain at Shamrock Boxing. His interests are boxing and helping out the kaumātua.

  • Peter, MokoBoy

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Peter, 17yrs, attends Te Aratika Academy. His interests are basketball and te ao Māori.

  • Precious, MokoBoy

    Rongomaiwahine

    Precious, 16yrs, attends Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngāti Kahungunu o Te Wairoa. Her interests are kapahaka.

  • Te Whetu, MokoBoy

    Tūhoe

    Te Whetu, 17 yrs, is a rap artist from Wellington. He wants to be a better rangatahi for the people in need because there is no one that is beyond the reach of change.

  • Te Mana Wairua (Neon), MokoBoy Intern

    Rongomaiwahine, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou

    Neon, 13 yrs, attends Mangateretere School. He is interning, the next generation learning the ropes of MokoBoys. He enjoys sports and gaming.

  • Te Kaea (Jarli), MokoBoy Intern

    Rongomaiwahine, Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou

    Jarli, 11 yrs, attends Marewa School. He is interning, the next generation learning the ropes of MokoBoys. He enjoys spending time with whānau and gaming.

  • Amaiah, Pakaru Pānui

    Ngāti Raukawa

    Amaiah, 14yrs, attends Napier Girls High School. She specialises in photography and filming. Her interets are photography, fashion, and sports such as netball, volleyball, dance and hockey.

  • Joseph, Pakaru Pānui

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Josep, 16yrs, attends Flaxmere College. Joseph specialises in social media management and intervewing. He enjoys volleyball, basketball and is just an all-round good guy.

  • Vellyn, Pakaru Pānui

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Vellyn, 13yrs, attends Napier Boys High School. He is a boxer at Shamrock Boxing and training to become one of our social media analysts and a familiar face in front of the camera.

Meet the Supervisors

  • Wiari Ormsby-Matehe, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Ngāti Porou

    Wiari is an Advanced Scaffolder and owner of Kahu Scaffolding based in Hawkes Bay. Out of work, Wiari is active in suicide pre-post prevention and is a qualified youth worker. He is a buisness advisor and tāne ora mentor for Toi Matarua and also supervises the MokoBoys.

  • Te Waimana (Jahson) Greening, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Rongomaiwahine, Ngāi Tūhoe

    Jahson was mentored and nurtured into a role at Toi Matarua. his has helped him to uild the sklls and confidence necessary to move oto mahi in construction. He now supports the kaupapa by volunteering and supervising the MokoBoys.

  • Sarah Pihema, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa

    Sarah is a qualified youth worker. She joined this kaupapa as a participant when she was in high school and now she helps in running our leadership programs and rangatahi wānanga. she is currently doing her Masters in Indigenous studies through Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. She also regularly supervises the MokoBoys.

  • Dale Corbett, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Dale works for The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) as an Advisor Māori. She assists NZQA with its commitment to Ākonga Māori success.  She is responsible for the delivery of information and engagements through NCEA me te Whānau Workshops, education events, Equity in STEM (Science, technology, engineering and maths) information programs including working with Kura/Schools and Māori communities. She is the Chair Woman of our Board of Trustees and supervises the MokoBoys in her spare time.

  • Tipene Rye-Dunn, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Ngāti Kahungunu & Tūhoe

    Tipene was brought up in the kaupapa and has always been involved wheter it was performing with 2FaceDrama or supporting at conferences and wānanga. Now he gives back to the kaupapa through volunteering and supervising the MokoBoys.

  • Dr Sally Rye, MokoBoys Supervisor

    Ngāti Porou me Ngāti Kahungunu

    Sally is a Kairangahau Matua (Research Lead) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. She is also a trustee for Toi Matarua. Sally overseas the science and recipes behind our rongoā and in her spare time supervises the MokoBoys.

Meet the Team

  • Charlizza Matehe, Founder & Director

    Ngāti Kahungunu

    Charlizza s a visionary leader passionate about Indigenous Advancement. She started this kaupapa at the age of 17, which now oversees a web of positive initiatives across Aotearoa designed for the bettement of rangatahi Māori and their whānau. She is currntly in the final stages of her doctoral thesis on rangatahi Māori sucide.

  • Dr Sally Rye, Toi Matarua Trustee

    Ngāti Porou me Ngāti Kahungunu

    Sally is a Kairangahau Matua (Research Lead) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Her background is in research, social work, mental health & addictions, education & business. Sally also holds an Indigenous Doctorate specialising in puku-roro (gut-brain) axis and connection to overall wellbeing. Sally oversees the science and recipes behind our rongoā.

  • Ruby Poi Poi, Manager of Māku Enterprises

    Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa & Ngāti Porou

    Ruby is a young Māori Entrepreneur who is currently running her own buisnes for products and services while also being a full-time mummy. Ruby is the manager of Māku Enterprises.