Amorangi Aaliyah Mortimer

Whānau Ora Iwi Navigator

Ko Pipitarawai te Maunga

Ko Mangatukurewa te Awa

Ko Tokomaru te Waka

Ko Ngati Mutunga mē Ngai Tahu toku iwi

Ko Whakamaharatanga te Marae

Ko Amorangi toku ingoa

I was born and raised on the Chatham Islands, Wharekauri, Rēkohu and lived there for most of my life. At the age of 13, I left the island to attend boarding school at Waitaki Girls’ High School in Ōamaru. After finishing high school, I moved to Twizel, where I worked as a Beauty Therapist and Salon Assistant for two years.

I later took on a role in pest control, which gave me the opportunity to travel across Te Waipounamu before eventually returning home to Wharekauri. Back on the island, I worked as the Kaiwhakahaere at Te Kōhanga Reo o Wharekauri, before transitioning into a Health Care Assistant role at the Chatham Islands Health Centre. This role allowed me to develop and strengthen a range of practical and mental skills that I can now bring into my mahi here at Mōkai Pātea Services.

My partner and I, along with our four dogs and three cats, made the big move from Wharekauri to Taihape in May 2025. Our goal was to further our professional development and take the next step in our journey by purchasing our first home. We’re excited to be settling in this beautiful part of the country and look forward to immersing ourselves in the community.

I Wharekauri, ka okioki tōku wairua i raro i te marino o te moana. I Taihape, ka tau te āio i raro i ngā maunga tū tonu. Ka taea te wairua te okioki i ngā wāhi e rua.

In Wharekauri, my soul rests beneath the calm of the sea. In Taihape, peace settles beneath the standing mountains. The soul can rest in two places.