Hoterene Hoone (Boss) Tipene

Born and raised in a small village of Pipiwai, language from birth is maori, went to school in the valley, Te Horo Maori School, was not allowed to speak maori in school and that was hard, we took some words home to practise and was told by our father to leave that at the school gate.

From there to Motatau Maori District High School, we were not allowed to speak maori anywhere at school, we got the cane, strap,and ruler if we got caught. I left school before i was 15.

Pipiwai was a farming community, milking cows by hand, off season we would go and work for the pakeha, scrub cutting, fencing, digging drains whatever to get through the winter months.

Later i worked in the bush with my uncle cutting down those big huge native trees to be sent to Whanagarei Timber Mill to be milled.

A few years later i hit the road and started roaming like a dog let off a leash.