Ngatuire is an accomplished young wahine Māori paddler from Rotorua who, through waka ama, has deepened her connection to herself, her culture, and the natural environment around her.

Chancey has returned to the Far North to be close to his whānau, opening up about his battles with drug abuse and his journey toward healing and reconnection.

Mahera grew up surrounded by drugs, poverty, and domestic abuse, but she’s rewriting her story to reflect the strong woman she has become.

Rua grew up in the small East Coast town of Te Araroa, where faith and whānau run deep. He takes us through his hometown — from leading kapa haka at Hinerupe Marae to fulfilling his Sunday duties at St Stephen’s Church.

Malanai is a Hawaiian raised in Aotearoa within Te Ao Māori. Returning home to Hawai‘i, she reconnected with her roots through non-instrumental navigation on the va‘a Kānehūnāmoku and traditions like hula and lei-making.

Te Marunui is an artist from Te Whārua o Ruātoki whose experience of poverty and urban drift has shaped the purpose of his work a story of reclamation, reconnection, and revitalisation.

Sonny is a young boxer from West Auckland’s Peach Boxing, chasing big dreams in the ring. He shares the values that drive him and the strong support from his whānau and community that’s helped him every step of the way.

Winiata is an avid diver from Onepū, now living in Tītahi Bay with his whānau. Together, they share a deep passion for mahinga kai, with a strong focus on gathering and providing kai for their loved ones.

Arirangi is a young pig hunter from Christchurch who’s currently learning the art of butchering. He started a page called Kai Sovereignty to show where our kai comes from, with the ultimate goal of passing this knowledge down to future generations.