Tracey Scott
As a former Rotorua City councillor of 11 years, past CEO of Women’s Refuge and the current chairwoman of Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency, Merepeka Raukawa-Tait is a fierce advocate for wāhine and tamariki.
She’s unapologetically direct and wholeheartedly believes in living life to the fullest, even when it meant kicking self-doubt to the curb and entering the Miss Rotorua 2022 pageant at 73.
The bold move paid off, winning her the Miss Te Arawa sash, but Merepeka reveals she almost didn’t enter for fear of what others would think.
Speaking to the Weekly, Merepeka shares some wisdom, insisting beauty has no age limit and you’re never too old to try something new.
In 2021, I was asked to be a judge at the pageant,” she explains. “I was so impressed with the transformations of the women. Many of them had lived through real hardship and I admired their courage
so much.
“I looked at the classes they were taking part in and thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be lovely to experience that and just focus on yourself for a while?’ The last 20 years has been head-down, bum-up, getting on with work for me, so I asked the director Kharl WiRepa if I could take part in the classes on the quiet.
“I was a bit shocked when he said, ‘No way, you can’t pick and choose – you’re either all in or not at all.’
“I remember thinking, ‘What will people say about a woman of my age entering the pageant?’
“But this event is so unique, it’s for women of all ages, sizes, abilities and ethnicities. So much of the pageant was about inner beauty which, of course, has no age.
“I’ve never worried about what people thought of me, so I decided to do something for myself and I absolutely loved the experience.
A proud Miss Te Arawa alongside her fellow beauties.
“Not one person said, ‘What on earth do you think you’re doing?’ In fact, the word I’ve heard so often about my entry is that it was inspiring.
“Although, I have to be honest, I think initially my sister was very surprised. But as I went through the journey, she could see the difference it was making and how much I was enjoying it.
“It was 14 weeks of classes on a Sunday leading up to the pageant, so it was a significant time commitment, but the benefits were there in abundance.
“Standing on stage right in the middle, there was this mighty applause and I was so delighted. It made me feel like I was walking on air.
“We can’t let other people determine what beauty should look like once you get past a certain age. You always hear things like the three colours older women should wear and hairstyles for older women, but since when did we allow someone to tell us what is suitable and what beauty looks like?
“Everyone loves the beauty of youth, but there’s beauty in an older woman’s face too that comes from life experience.
“One thing I have absolutely learned from this experience is it’s not my concern what other people think about my decisions.
“If we listen to what people think and change our minds, we shrink our lives.
“My Māori mother was very beautiful. She had three daughters and always said, ‘My girls are beautiful, my girls think and speak for themselves, and my girls can do anything.’
“I’m very thankful she instilled in us that feeling of self-worth and value.
“I was a chubby little girl and had my hair cut very short, and although that used to worry me sometimes, my mother’s words kept ringing.
“It’s so important we say it to our children too because when you hear that all the time as a child, you take it into your adult life too.
With her mokopuna (from left) Kauri-Makaio, niece Dianna (his mother) and sister Donnarae.
“Growing up, I always wanted to be a politician because I looked at them as those who could really set a climate for change for everyone.
“Over the years working in the area of child abuse and women, I’ve wondered if I’m making enough of a difference. You see the statistics and sometimes there’s very little change. But I can’t afford to throw in the towel. That’s not in my nature.
“Women are seeking leadership in all areas now and that’s to be applauded because we add value.
“There are some people who think I’m a bit strident. I’m respectful but I’m direct, and some people find that abrasive. Yet when a male is direct, they don’t blink an eyelid.
“People need to get used to women doing this. It’s not aggressive, it’s saying what you need to and getting on with the job.
“I won’t enter the pageant again next year, but I’ll certainly be turning up to support the other contestants.
“The most important thing to me is in 2021 I thought, ‘I would love to do that,’ but I worried about what people would say.
“Last year, I did it and transformed myself in a whole raft of areas.”
