Kia Ora – Kaya – G’day mate – Hello – Ciao ❤️ My name is Keepa. I grew up in Rotorua, New Zealand. My family has connections to Whakarewarewa, and much of my upbringing was centred around our marae in Horohoro. Growing up around the marae, I learned something early in life — the importance of manaakitanga. Caring for people. Making people feel welcome. When visitors arrive at a marae, the kitchens come alive. People cook, prepare food and serve others with care and respect. There is so much love in those kitchens that even a simple piece of toast can taste like it was cooked by a Michelin-star chef. That spirit stayed with me. Life then took me in many directions. I’ve worked on tuna processing boats, pearl farms and fishing vessels. I’ve worked on farms, in factories and warehouses. I’ve driven trucks and forklifts. I’ve worked in kitchens across many cultures — African cooking, Chinese wok kitchens, Italian cafés, Māori cooking and European cafés. I’ve worked in tourism, landscaping, resorts, and even at a special needs school. Different jobs. Different industries. Different people. But through all those experiences I noticed the same thing again and again. People want to feel seen, heard and valued. In 1998 I left Rotorua and landed a job on Rottnest Island in Western Australia. Because New Zealanders and Australians can move and work between the two countries fairly easily, the opportunity was there. That’s where my coffee journey really began. Coffee became a craft for me, but more importantly it became a way to connect with people. Years later, around 2006–2007, I was back in Rotorua working as the head barista and manager at Lime Café when it first opened. The café ended up winning Best Café awards, but something happened during that time that really stayed with me. We organised job interviews with young people through Work and Income New Zealand. Ten interviews were booked. Only four people showed up. All four were Māori youth. They didn’t know what to say in the interview.