Warren Ropiha

 

Warren, Ngati Kahungungu, 2009 Forestry Modern Apprentice of the Year. 

As a child, growing up in Flaxmere, he observed child abuse and family violence in his community.  When his partner, Nichola, became pregnant with Jaedyn he decided to pursue education and a better life for the three of them.

At first, Warren could only afford to rent a damp, cold house and, for the first year of his life, Jaedyn was constantly in hospital with asthma and bronchitis.  After completing his forestry training and qualifications, Warren was able to earn a higher wage and could afford a healthier home for his family. Since they moved to their new home, Jaedyn has not been in hospital. Here’s what Warren had to say about being a dad.

Jigsaw: When you think of the word ‘Dad’ what comes to mind for you?

Warren: For me a dad is someone that provides for their family.  To ensure that their children have nappies and food and whatnot, and to ensure that our family is healthy and happy.

How would you like Jaedyn to see you as a dad?

I’ll try to treat him the best I can and try to teach him what’s positive and what’s not and what not to do. And yeah, I hope he listens when he grows up.

What did winning the Forestry Modern Apprentice of the Year award mean to you? What did you have to do to achieve that?
My regional training advisor told me about it and I said to him, “Bro, I want to win that.” He just told me to put in the hard yards.  He said you’ve got to be willing to work and you’ve got to be willing to learn.  The moment you stop listening is the moment you stop learning.  So I’ve taken those wise words on board and I was lucky enough to come away with the win. To anyone who is going to go for it I’d wish them all the best and tell them to go hard.

What do you think that sort of thing does for Jaedyn and for other kids?

When I walked up on stage [to get the award] my partner says to Jaedyn “Look there’s Dad.” And you should have heard it aye.  It was an awesome feeling.  He just said, “Yay!” and for me that was something very special.

When Jayden was sick how did you and Nichola work through that?

He’d be in the hospital for weeks.  I’d just go to work, come home, shower, go up there and stay.  Then I’d come home in the wee hours of the morning to get ready for work the next day.  While I was up there I used to give my partner time for her studies to ensure she was keeping up to date.  She’d let me study too, to make sure we were both up to play.

What are some of the things you like to do to keep involved with the whanau?

If I know I’m doing lates during the week I try to make up for it during the weekends.  I spend days out with them, go to the park and just try to catch up with family as much as I can.  My mother and father just live around the corner and her mother lives just down the road so we’re all pretty close.

So what does that mean for Jaedyn?

Basically he’ll know who is family is.  He won’t be one of those unfortunate people that didn’t know his koro or didn’t know his nan. I reckon it’s important for every child that’s getting brought up to know their whanau.

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