Growing up at the end of Ahu Ahu Road has affected the Marshall children deeply.
Jess, 34, who lives nearby in Oakura, says the land means everything. “Ko au te whenua, ko te whenua ko au [I am the land, the land is me]. Growing up and having a deep, real connection to this land, has made me who I am. This relationship has been strengthened by growing up on the land with my grandparents. At one time, there were four generations living there.
“The land nurtures me and my whanau. It inspires, provides for us, educates us, embraces us, sustains us. For me, Te Ao Maori [the Maori world] encapsulates this relationship I have to, and with, the land, hence my journey of self-discovery through learning te reo Maori…