Cuddling her baby boy closely, sports presenter and former Silver Ferns star Courtney Tairi knows that motherhood is a gift – but when it comes to her pride and joy, five-month-old Korokī Wī Tairi-Pēwhairangi, it’s literally in his name.
The proud mum, 38, explains, “When we told my whānau that we were hapū, my dad, who has all girls in his family, straightaway said, ‘I have a name suggestion, seeing as it’s a tama [boy],’ and it was Korokī .”
The name carries deep significance to Courtney’s side of the family, honouring her Ngāti Korokī and Tainui heritage, as well as the fifth Māori king Kīngi Korokī, who was a close friend of her grandfather.
Courtney and her partner, former league star Apirana Pēwhairangi, 34, are grateful to the royal family, Te Whare Ariki, for granting their blessing, saying the gift of such a meaningful name for their pēpi was an incredibly special start to their boy’s life.
Korokī ’s middle name Wī pays tribute to his dad’s ancestor Wī Pēwhairangi, who was born shortly after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and given the name Pēwhairangi, te reo for Bay of Islands, to commemorate the elders from Tokomaru Bay who travelled north to witness the signing.
A gift beyond words
Even though Coco and Api, as their friends call them, know that their bub’s name is on the longer side – with the former netballer realising it doesn’t fit on customs forms during Korokī ’s first flight to see whānau in Australia – it’s a true reflection of how they intend to raise their boy, fully immersed in his whakapapa.
Although, Courtney smiles, they usually just call him “Pep”, short for pēpi!
She adds, “We want him to grow up in a Māori household where te reo Māori is his first language. We wanted to give him a name that came from our tūpuna [ancestors], that meant something and that connected him to both our whānau.”
For Courtney, whose middle name is Reremoana, there’s something profound in her son having a Māori first name.
She explains, “My dad is from that generation where the Māori language was taken from them, so any Māori names were always middle names. But since going on my te reo Māori journey, I learnt it’s about connecting our tamariki to their tūpuna, making sure they know where they come from, who they are and everything that embodies. I wanted that for our son.”
More than a name
If the name was a gift, so is Pep himself. Motherhood was a long-held dream for Courtney and one she wasn’t even sure she could achieve, thanks to years of pushing her body to its absolute limit playing professional sport.
But for all of her athletic achievements, seeing her boy for the first time was the happiest moment of her life.
“The feeling I had when I got to hear him, see him and hold him for the first time was the most beautiful thing in the world,” she smiles.
“People say you really can’t describe it until you’ve lived it and they’re so right – it’s just a whole other level.”
Finding her way into motherhood
After a dream pregnancy, Courtney’s birth didn’t quite go according to plan and she needed a C-section, with the incision reopening two weeks after she gave birth.
“That was traumatic, to say the least,” she recalls.
“I was bedridden for two weeks, and I had this brand-new baby who I wanted to love and look after. But at the same time, I was trying to heal myself and I had no idea what was going on with my body. Then throw in all the hormones and I just felt so irregulated. I felt like I had no control over my body. “But it’s true when people say you don’t know how much you can love someone until you become a parent. I didn’t believe them, but every day, Api and I tell Pep that we just love him so, so much. It’s crazy. I just love being a mum.”
A love like no other
She adds that Api – who is of Ngāti Porou descent, and has played league for the Warriors and Parramatta Eels – is the absolute best dad, as she knew he would be.
“He’s amazing,” gushes Courtney.
“When people say it matters who you pick as a life partner and the father of your children, they’re so right. I’m so grateful every day that he is such a good man, such a good partner to me and such a good father to Pep. He’s supported me in more ways than I ever thought I needed, especially coming from many years of being a strong, independent woman! I’m very, very lucky.”
Pep, for his part, is a dream.
“He’s very chill, like his father,” Courtney says.
“He’s happy and always smiling. He loves a kaupapa [project] already. He loves being in amongst everything, whether it’s with friends or at the marae.”
Finding a new balance
Still, for a woman who has built two careers on discipline and preparation, surrendering control has been a challenge, confesses Courtney.
“From being an athlete, I’m so used to schedules, but just when I think I’ve got it down as a mum, everything changes and the next day is completely different,” she says.
“The thing is, I spent so long trying to optimise every little thing in life, so now when I look around the house for things to achieve, I realise I’ve already vacuumed and done the dishwasher. “I’ve had to learn to relax and enjoy this time. Although it does really make me want to change things in my house a lot – now I’m convinced we need new curtains!”
While Courtney was once a “supremely relaxed and chilled-out” person, she says motherhood has made her a little more highly strung.
“I’m on high alert, which I guess is that protective mum instinct,” she tells.
“I’m constantly thinking, ‘Is Pep OK?’ He’s always in the back of my mind. And now as a mum, I look in the mirror and I don’t quite recognise myself any more. I’m grateful for who I am now, but I’m like, ‘Who am I? Where’s she gone?!’”
Finding herself again
Now easing back into work, covering the Warriors’ home games for Fox Sports, Courtney is living the juggle she once only admired from afar and it has taken a little getting used to.
“I used to just walk straight out the door to work – that seems like a lifetime ago,” she laughs.
“But that’s allowed me to get a little bit of independence back. It’s filled my cup and allowed me to feel like a real human again. But at the same time, I miss him the whole time I’m at work!”
A new version of Courtney
Courtney loves every minute with Pep and credits him as her greatest achievement. However, there’s a small part of her that misses her life before motherhood.
“And I think that’s OK,” she says.
“I lived an amazing life before I had Pep and this is just a season. I’ll admit I had a little pang for covering international sport again with the Commonwealth Games. Maybe the next one! “While motherhood is the best thing I’ve ever done and experienced, it’s also the hardest thing I’ve ever done.“I’m so grateful to be in this phase of my life, which is everything I wished for, but it’s a huge adjustment too. Learning what it’s like to hand over responsibilities to someone else and allowing someone else to take care of us has been huge.”
Somewhere between the nappy bag and the breast pump, a new version of Courtney is emerging.
She smiles, “I’m starting to feel more comfortable and confident, and I’m going out to see friends and go to work. With that, the other parts of me are starting to come back. It’s just a new me!”
