Ko wai au? About me
Ko Putauaki me Ruapehu nga Maunga
Ko Rangitaiki me Whanganui nga Awa
Ko Mataatua me Aotea nga Waka
Ko Ngāti Awa me Te Atihaunui ā Paparangi nga Iwi
Ko Ngai Taiwhakaea me Nga Pāerangi nga Hapū
Ko Te Paroa me Kaiwhaiki nga Marae
Ko Rose Haskell tōku Ingoa
I have lived in New Plymouth, in the Taranaki Region of Aotearoa New Zealand since 2010. I have two sweet young daughters – Zarnie, born in 2012 and Evanee, born in 2014.
As well as bringing up my two little girls, I am a Community Health Promoter (Kaiwhakatairanga Hauora Hapori) for Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa. My mahi involves increasing healthy literacy in the contexts of sexual and reproductive health, healthy relationships & consent.
I was born in Whakatane and have moved all around the Bay of Plenty and Waikato with my mother and her Husband as they worked in the Dairy Farming Industry. We settled in the Eastern Bay township of Otakiri/Edgecumbe where I attended Edgecumbe College.
I went on to achieve an Honours Degree in Social Sciences, majoring in Sociology and Political Science at the University of Waikato. I have spent time in retail, the Public Sector and in community health before landing my current role at Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa, which is a very fulfilling role with an amazing team.
I have two brothers and two sisters: Ela, born in 1991; Joel & Aidan, twins, born in 2002 and Breanah, born in 2005. My mother resides with her partner in Whakatane and my dad with his wife in Blenheim. I have two sweet little nieces – Peyton, born in 2010 and McKenna (affectionately known as Mickey), born in 2013. My sister and I had the three younger girls, Zarnie, Mickey and Evanee 10 months apart respectively – how’s that for timing?
My biggest passion is Te Ao Māori. I learn Te Reo Māori at Te Wananga o Aotearoa and learn as much as I can to decolonise the world I live in. I love watching my two tamariki play sports. I love Saturday walks and catchups with my bestie, Aunty Tezzles and Sunday kaitahi with my other bestie, Taja.
It’s a pretty meke life, e Hoa mā. I’m sure the ending is not in sight hehe!
Why I became a Marriage Celebrant
I was at a wedding, back in February 2015 and at that wedding, friends of ours who were planning their nuptials the following summer asked my husband about the prospect of becoming a celebrant to officiate their wedding. He was open to the idea, so we asked the celebrant who officiated the wedding we were at what it took to become a marriage celebrant.
She walked us through the process and the looked me smack bam in the face and said “hey, you’d be a good celebrant”. I asked why, and she explained that, to become a celebrant, you must show that you fill a certain gap in your community. For me it was that I was young and I was also of maori descent. A couple of weeks later, I said to my husband (quite embarrassed, knowing I was going to rain on his parade) that I quite liked the idea of this celebrant thing. Knowing how ‘in the present’ I lived, also taking in to account at that time our children were 1 and 2 years old, he said not to do it. But, for the second time in our entire relationship, I DEFIED HIM!
I started the application process in February 2015, and was eventually registered as a Celebrant in July 2015..
Professional Organisations
CELEBRANTS ASSOCIATION OF NEW ZEALAND
I am a member of the Celebrants Association of New Zealand.
The Celebrants Association of New Zealand (CANZ) provides access to professional celebrants with a commitment to quality service, professional standards and ethics.
TARANAKI WEDDINGS
You can find me in the Taranaki Weddings directory.
Taranaki Weddings is your one stop shop for all your wedding needs and I am honoured to be in among some of Taranaki’s finest wedding vendors.
GLITTER SQUAD CELEBRANTS
I am a member of the The Glitter Squad!
This lot are a nationwide collective of young-at-heart Celebrants keen to celebrate your wedding the way you want to. No more boring, bland, beige ceremonies that put your guests to sleep. Let us help you celebrate your love!
