Justin Tamihana has been actively involved with Te Araroa, first as a volunteer with the Wellington Trust and now in a Partnerships and Project Management role. He works collaboratively on Story Panel projects alongside mana whenua and local communities.

Justin brings lived experience and passion to his work. With his whānau, he has completed 116 Kiwi Guardian trails across Aotearoa and hopes to one day complete Te Araroa himself.

Grounded in his Māoritanga, Justin is dedicated to strengthening cultural identity, environmental stewardship and community connection. He believes Te Araroa has immense potential to deepen connections between people and place, and to support the health and wellbeing of whānau and communities across Aotearoa.