Profile Beneath the sacred mountain of Whakapunake, where the Mists falls lightly and ever so gently reminding everyone of the tears of their Ancestors from above, and very close to the Te Reinga Waterfall the birth of Merekaraka Tipoki took place on the 8 September 1942 in the small country town of Wairoa in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand. She was born of goodly parents and her father being the last Paramount Chief of the powerful tribe of Ngati Kahungunu descendants of a people who journeyed across the face of the Earth Mother, the Navigators who followed the music of the stars to reach across the width of waters, who saw the Ocean as the greatest crystal in the world, for it cleanses and it heals and accompanied by the whales and dolphins which guided our ancient canoe with a mystical connection to the spirit. This is my spiritual journey and one to which I envision continuing throughout my earthly life, so be prepared to enter with me into the cultural realms known but long forgotten in the world of the MAORI. At the very tender age of three years old, Merekaraka was dancing on stage. Her studies of the R.A.D. (Royal Academy of Dancing) over a number of years were a concentrated commitment and dedication which earned her full graduation bearing Margo Fonteyn’s Seal. Her world was on stage but she had to study French with her ballet, what with already the struggles of trying to learn English. Her first language was Maori and at a very young age she experienced being caned at school for speaking her natural language at school. That left a mark and through sheer determination she studied English and learnt to speak English proper through elocution lessons and very attentative school teachers who could see her drive. Ironically, today in the year of 2007 she has been invited to be an international key note speaker at an International Peace Conference in the U.S.A. Merekaraka left her beloved homeland at a very early age of seventeen years to seek out the world of the ‘Whiteman’ and to learn of their ways, their laws and their principles. It was with a broken heart that her Father, the Paramount Chief of Te Wairoa, let his daughter go. He had other plans for his daughter, a position of leadership/peacemaker between the Maori People and the Whiteman. He had given his daughter all the training of an Aristocrat but he knew also that she was very determined to seek out and learn from the Whiteman as she hungered for their Education. Hence Merekaraka started her ‘University of Learning’ in Australia where she studied Business Management followed with further studies through sheer determination and personal drive. She received many awards in Oratorical Studies, was nominated most Executive Business Woman of 1989 in South Australia, excelled in creative writing, ethnic studies, theatrical productions, national Maori Festival Adjudicator for Choral and Dance and also a celebrated Speaker/Lecturer of ‘The Origin of the Maori’. Merekaraka’s paramount track record (for 18 years) has been as the trouble shooter for an empire of 73 companies based in South Australia and as she points out the greatest period of schooling, where the Executive Governing Director imparted all of his expertise, skills to a very willing and attentative student. She learnt how to make money with no money. The foundation for her corporate climb has been set and from this empire, Merekaraka has had many years of experiences in her own personal businesses, in international finances, commodities, investments, joint ventures, promotions and developments. Her background already set into place as a Producer/Director/Choreographer/Scriptwriter. She is on the brink of the production of her own epic saga Movie depicting the history of the migration of her Ancestors from the narrow neck of land between North and South America through the South Pacific Isles and arriving into Aotearoa (The Land of the Long White Cloud) New Zealand. She has for a number of years in Australia has been very active on the Board of the Australian Executive Women’s Network, and is a recognized National Public Speaker. She continued working with corporate women on the Gold Coast, Queensland and was responsible for producing and directing Executive Women’s Conferences. Her involvement with outstanding Business Women revealed that she was the only Maori member; at times she felt the pangs of loneliness and was determined to encourage Maori Women to be involved with the Corporate. When an invitation arrived back in 1988 from Thailand, to join a Thai Resort Enterprise she did not hesitate to respond. She felt that a great new and exciting world was opening up for her and felt privileged to be a part of it. The business success and reputation she had built up in Australia had reached the shores of Thailand. This opened up her Humanitarian initiatives and what she saw and witnessed gave her the impact to return one day to Thailand with a team of expertise and a bullet proof system to help feed the poor. Another invitation arrived to attend an indigenous Festival with the Navajo Nation. The recognition that was lighted up between Navajo and Maori on a spiritual level was quite amazing and again Merekaraka saw an Indigenous Nation which has been wrongly oppressed so very depressed. Merekaraka Caesar for a number of years has been very active in the Corporate World, National and International, including sitting on International Boards. Her personal drive is to encourage her Maori People with further education, self development, and to retain their customs, language, arts that steeps back to over 1,000 years. She sits as the Principal Trustee of a strong independent Maori Trust for the purpose of promoting health, social, culture, economic, education and general advancement in the lives of her Maori People. Her position as the Representative of the Indigenous Sector of the U.N. involves humanitarian work within Indigenous Nations and the setting up of strong relationships to assist with third world countries and the nations who are forgotten. Merekaraka is spearheading an Orphanage for 100 Thai Children at Chieng Rai, Northern Thailand, Education Centre and a Children’s T.V. Program in association with the Princess of Thailand to be built at Bangkok and negotiating further Orphanages in third world countries. She has been invited onto an International Humanity Documentary Advisory Board and sits in this position as the Cultural Advisor. Recently an invitation has arrived from the U.S.A. for Merekaraka to be a key note speaker at the Congress 2007 (Peace Conference). Fellow panelists are famous humanitarian leaders from around the world; this is certainly a privilege to represent Maori from Australia at this Conference. Her main attribute to her business approach is ‘trust and honesty’. The Maori Girl who once sat and dreamed by the majestic waterfall is now realizing a childhood dream, that one day she will be a part of the corporate world internationally and through this will open the necessary doors to allow her to ‘feed the poor’ May I end this Profile in acknowledging Merekaraka Tipoki-Caesar who feels very honoured and humble by the trust given to her by business associates worldwide? Her aspirations are embraced by her determination to bring success to them all. Her Journey of her Life is in preparation for the chosen responsibilities being prepared for her by her Ancestors…it is a Journey that only a handful in the world would understand, however, she is ready to sit in the paramount leadership seat for the world. Her ever constant guidance to lift and guide her Maori People to live higher standards, to be seen, to be heard here is a voice that speaks from her heart, she stands unafraid for her people, she also acknowledges that her life has all been orchestrated by a more powerful force unseen by the Human Eye.
|