Manukura | Jessica Apanui

Te manu kai miro, nōna te ngahere; te manu kai mātauranga, nōna te ao.

The bird that eats the miro berries, theirs is the forest; the bird that consumes knowledge, the world is theirs.

Ko Whetumatarau tōku maunga

Ko Horouta tōku waka

Ko Awatere tōku awa

Ko Tūwhakairiora tōku hapū

Ko Hinerupe tōku marae

Ko Ngāti Porou tōku iwi

Ko Jessica Apanui tōku ingoa.

He tangata kai taru kino, inu waipiro, kai warawara ahau. Jess is a 42-year-old mother of two children ages 21 and 15. Her passion is to advocate for whānau that are suffering in addiction and show them that there is another way and by doing so she leaves a legacy and a blueprint behind as a way forward for her tamariki and whānau.

Jess’s career in health started when the COVID pandemic hit Aotearoa and from there, doors of opportunity have opened for Jess in a space of two years. Jess’s passion for others have been the driver to her success in such a small amount of time and believes that Lived Experience is where it is at – We are the subject matter experts across a National response to Addiction and Mental Health.

Jess is vocal, bold, and deliberate in her efforts to change the way addiction is dealt with in Aotearoa. Her ability to speak to her own past publicly has been the game changer in the lives of many others. Jess confidently leads from the front in all areas of her life she has learnt really quick that this life is never promised so she needs to make each day count. Jess has been on a journey of rediscovering her true potential and has moved towards a path that she has longed for so long – Te Ao Māori.

Her journey within her own culture has had its challenges, te reo, tikanga, whakapapa, mātauranga and wairuatanga. Upon the release of her documentary “Mana over Meth” Jess returned back to her whenua in the east coast of Gisborne, Te Araroa. Jess had been away for 29 years but always knew in her darkest days that she would return once the ngāngara had been released and her wairua restored. Gazing her eyes on her maunga Whetumatarau changed the way she saw the world and, gave her the confidence boost she needed to be strong and hold the weight just as her maunga has for her.

Working in Health has that weight, challenges, heaviness of inequities and the trauma of colonisation, she gives the upmost respect to our kaimahi Māori who tirelessly give so much of themselves to save the lives of others, ngā mihi nui kia koutou katoa.

Her mahi with Te Aka Whai Ora is an absolute honour and every day she is humbled to be given the opportunity to contribute towards Oranga Hinengaro and Pae Ora healthy futures for us all.