We had a magnetic presentation from one of our young, award-winning Māori farming leaders in the Waikato, who now leads one of the most effective farms in Aotearoa.
Ben talked about being one of nine children to a single-parent mum, raised in violence, being in gangs, and substance taking at an early age. He had a murder affiliation, which resulted in a criminal conviction and jail for a significant period of his youth at just 14 years old.
He talked about how tough it was/is to be in a prison cell emotionally, and being so young. On his release, he made a commitment to his partner, the whenua, his family, and the cows to turn his life around.
“It’s not easy, it’s a mindset, the choices you make,” he recounted.
Farmers actively mentored him to motivate him to stay out of the repeating crime and prison cycles he defaulted to. Sometimes, he lost his way and returned to jail, and his employers did not give up on him. His love of the land and the herds always welcomed him back.
Now he runs his own clothing line, “Calm the Farm,” about staying chill and having fun. He has won multiple national farming awards and was a runner-up for an Australasian award, and now has multiple streams of income. He has bought his own home and is the first in his family to do so.
He named how some teachers at one of our local high schools tried to help him. On reflection, he wished that he’d opened up to them more and asked for more help. He has learned to read after being held back by dyslexia.
He wants to do more presentations like this and has set his sights on becoming a millionaire!
Our students and some teachers asked some curious questions about Ben’s life journey and choices, which helped us understand him more.
Written by Whaea Elizabeth Murphy
