September 16

Potu was nominated for the World Harmony Run Torch-Bearer Award by Debbie Tangohau of the Rotorua Social Services his long-standing service to the Rotorua community.

Potu Mihaka sees himself as an involved member of the community rather than a volunteer. Korero, committees and kapa haka are all in a day's work for community volunteer Potu.

 

Mr Mihaka is a youth worker for the Te Waiariki Purea Trust but his community involvement extends far beyond his paid employment.

 

He has taught kapa haka to people of all ages and still has a huge interest in that. "I've taught everyone from young babies to grandparents,'' he told The Daily Post.

 

Mr Mihaka is part of Te Takinga Marae at Mourea where he welcomes guests, performing the korero and appropriate waiata with other whanau – a role he also carries out at other marae when needed.

 

But he has had to earn his place, working endlessly for the marae community. "I started at the bottom – cooking, setting up tables, serving food – but now I have graduated.''

 

However, he does not see work done within that community as work. "It's a job that needs to be done. It's about upholding the mana of the marae, the hapu, the whanau and the iwi.''

 

Mr Mihaka's influence also extends well beyond the marae through his involvement with a number of farm trusts and he was a board member for the Te Arawa Maori Trust during much of the Treaty deal negotiation process.

 

Through his four children and five grandchildren he has served on several school committees and boards of trustees and, back in the 1980s, he was heavily involved with the Rail and Maritime Transport Union, rising to the position of union official.

 

Now he is one of the driving forces behind the neighbourhood initiatives group of the Rotorua Safe Families Campaign.

 

When asked how he manages to fit everything in, Mr Mihaka said community was something he was passionate about and when something is important it just fits.

 

"I'm not a talker, I'm a doer,'' he said. "When you are part of a community you get involved. What I do, I like to think I do for all our people – not just Maori.''

 

Mr Mihaka was awarded a medal for his community work during the Harmony Run through Rotorua earlier this month but modestly downplays his role. "I would rather share the kudos. The medal belongs to all of us.''

 

– Andrew Warner (Daily Post – Rotorua Newspaper) 26-09-08