Alumni Leaders
Arihia Bennett
Arihia Bennett recently performed a karakia and on behalf of mana whenua , welcomed our full school community to the new school year at the St Margaret ’ s Pōwhiri . She was astounded by what she saw .
Arihia , the first female Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu , attended St Margaret ’ s in the 70 ’ s ; a time when recognition of iwi and Māori culture was almost nil . She recalls only one teacher pronouncing her name correctly during her four years at St Margaret ’ s and remembers attending elocution lessons to develop the ‘ St Margaret ’ s girl plum posh accent ’, during lunch while her friends enjoyed custard squares from the tuck shop .
The Pōwhiri , she says , was over whelming and a far cry from days gone by ; seeing the whole school - parents , girls , teachers - coming together and welcoming cultural diversity with such poise and respect was an experience she admits , left her speechless .
Reflecting on her journey after St Margaret ’ s , she confesses she is fiercely independent but looking back and talking to a younger Arihia , she says , if she could , she ’ d encourage herself to find coaches , supporters and mentors who believed in her enough to see the good , bad and the ugly and still stand by her .
She encourages our young women to build their sense of courage and confidence as early as possible . The professional world can be highly male dominated and one of the potential setbacks she has experienced is the fear and anxiety of being surrounded by a number of males . ‘ If you are well equipped with knowledge and information – you are competent – all you need is the confidence and courage to expound and articulate that information .’
However , these three ‘ C ’ s ’ are nothing without compassion and character . No matter how difficult or how great the situation , Arihia talks of knowing how to stand in another person ’ s shoes and not lose yourself along the way .
‘ As you move into leadership positions or into a challenge , happiness really matters – it reduces the fear and brings a sense of calmness . In a highly judgemental society it is imperative to surround yourself with people who care and no matter the context remember to have character , be confident , courageous , competent and compassionate and enjoy yourself .’
They say you shouldn ' t take yourself too seriously , and at Sweet Revenge we don ' t – fun is paramount !
That being said we take taste very seriously , and only sell what we know is delicious to the last bite .
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