Dan Vaka - Te Arawa Delegate

He also holds the position of Te Arawa Kapa Haka Charitable Trust Executive Committee member.

Dan is a qualified teacher holding a Graduate Diploma of Teaching from Canterbury Teachers College, a Master of Education and also a Bachelor of Sport and Leisure Studies from University of Waikato, and a graduate of Te Panekiretanga, Rangapū Tuangahuru from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.

Dan has over 25 years teaching experience having taught at Rotorua schools Western Heights High, Te Kura o Te Koutu, and Te Wharekura o Ngāti Rongomai. He currently teaches (and heads) at Te Wharekura o Maketū with his wife.  

Dan has an extensive kapa haka background and is currently the Tutor/Pouārahi of Te Hekenga ā-Rangi Kapa Haka. 

I tupu ake au i Awahou i te mātotorutanga o Ngāti Rangiwewehi, ka mutu he kaihaka, he kaiako, he kaitātaki, he kaitito, he kaiārahi  tawhito o Ngāti Rangiwewehi Kapa Haka (1992-2017).  Heoi anō, he wā tōna i tū hoki ai mō te kapa o Waihīrere.  I te tau 2019 i whakatūria taku kapa o Te Hekenga ā-Rangi, ko Te Matatini i tū ai ki Tāmaki Makaurau 2023 te wā tuatahi i uru ai te kapa ki Te Matatini, koira hoki te wā i eke ai a Te Hekenga ā-Rangi ki te wāhanga Matangirua o Te Matatini.  Koinei tētehi o ngā ekenga pae rangi o taku kapa. Hāunga anō te tū ki ngā whakataetae kapa haka, nōku anō hoki te maringanui kia noho ki ngā pae kaiwhakawā o ngā reanga katoa tamariki mai, pakeke mai, ā rohe mai, ā motu mai.  Katoa ngā kura i whakaako ai au hai kaiako i whakaako hoki i te kapa haka i ēnei kura, e whāngaihia ai te pururourou o te māra kai o tuakaihau.  Nō reira kua ora au i tēnei mea te kapa haka me ngā tini wāhanga ōna!

Ko te kapa haka me ngā tini āhuatanga ōna taku remurere, ka mutu ko te whakaako i te kapa haka e kitea ai te kotītanga o te tangata i tēnei kura wānanga, kia taea hoki ai e rātou ngā wheakoranga te wheako kia pakari te hinengaro, te wairua me te māramatanga o te oranga tangata. Ko ngā whāinga matua āku kia tupu ake me tōku hoa rangatira, aku tamariki me aku mokopuna i roto i te pūmautanga me te aroha ki a mātou anō, ki ō mātou whānaunga me ō mātou iwi haere nei te wā, ā, kia kite hoki i aku pikitūranga e kawe ana i ngā akoranga, i ngā taonga, i tō tātou reo me tō tātou motuhēhētanga kia tū hai rangatira mō te iwi otirā, mō tātou a Ngāi Māori!  Ko Te Arawa taku whakaruruhau, ko taku rākau ririhau anō hoki, nō reira ko tāku he nanaiore e maiea ai te kura wānanga o taku iwi o Te Arawa tai whenua mai, tai ao mai.