I Am Rotorua – Cheyenne Kennedy

I Am Rotorua

“I love raising my kids here in Rotorua, it’s my home. I have lived here my whole life and so have my parents and grandparents. Rotorua is deeply rooted into my family’s history. Ngongotahā is home to me, it’s where I feel my strongest connection.

“One of the things I love most is how much Māori culture is a part of everyday life here. It's woven into the schools, workplaces and community events. You hear te reo Māori spoken all around, you see tikanga Māori practiced daily and you feel the presence of history in the land. It’s important to me that my children grow up surrounded by that and that they learn the value of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga. Rotorua is a place where our culture is truly alive.

“Rotorua also has amazing outdoor lifestyles, many lakes and forestry – and so there are many opportunities for my kids to explore and grow. To me, it is the perfect place for us and it’s exactly where we belong.”

~ Cheyenne Kennedy