Kia Ora, my name is Iharaira Ranapia Hira and I’m a yr 13 student who studies online through Te Kura (Correspondence) and am a current part-time student at the University of Waikato. I am a Māori male student who hails from the East Coast and who moved from Tauranga and is now living in Waikato. I lived my Great-Grandmother who brought me up most of my life and I love to stay busy, which is not hard for me as I have a strong urge to say yes to any request/s I may get from my peers, teachers or others who need me. As a person who comes from a supportive and loving family, I would say that i value whānaungatanga, my cultural roots (Māori) and my faith, as I am a strong Christian who was bought up in the church. Music has been a huge part of my life and it strongly resides in my identity and who I am. My music background is very broad. I play several instruments such as Violin, Timpani and Piano, and I am highly involved in the musical arts and cultural co-curricular activities within my school including Orchestra, Concert Band, String Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Kapa Haka, Mixed Choir, Senior auditioned Choir and the NZSSC ( New Zealand Secondary Schools Choir ) the National Choir of NZ from ages 13-17 yrs. My passion towards music is one of great strength, especially that of song. Ever since I was young I couldn’t stop singing and I still can’t, it just came naturally to me. I have also been told that I have a musical talent and that I show many qualities that of a leader. My aspirations for the future, following that of music and song, is to find a career in music performance or in the music industry and to attend a University or Tertiary Institute to follow my music endeavours. No matter where life takes me, I know that wherever I go and whatever I do, music will play a huge part in my life as I further into my future.
Ngā Mihi