Ramon Te Wake Ramon Te Wake is a singer/songwriter and co-presenter of Maori TV's gay Maori lifestyle programme Takataapui. Who are you as a person and what's your background? My name is Ramon. I was born in Dargaville (The Kumara Capital of the World) and grew up in Wellington. I am a glorious 28 years of age. I am a writer, singer/songwriter, musician and performer. I am also a presenter/director for the first ever indigenous gay focussed programme to be launched in the Pacific called Takataapui. What have you hoped to achieve by your work on Takataapui? The most important thing for me to achieve has been to give this incredibly gifted and talented community a voice, a platform to stand proud on and share their voices - sometimes pained but mostly inspiring stories. To affect a community has been incredibly rewarding – You're on Takataapui! Go for it! What characterises the New Zealand GLBT community for you? I believe it is a combination of factors – there is a great deal of strength that thrives in the GLBT community that has come about through adversity and struggle. There is a lot of humour, because we are able to laugh at our selves and not take our selves so seriously, albeit, some people still need to know how to let go! Language is a give in – can any other community really say that they have created and expressed a language quite like our own? I don't think so! Flat out eh! Or what! What is the worst thing for you about being GLBT? Other people's fears I guess – I don't really have many. You are who you are and we all have to exist on this planet, sometimes in different zones – some zones are more dominate and ignorant while others just try to live and survive. Some are survivors (like our community) some just live (most of the time, unconsciously). Who knows! What is the best thing about being GLBT? It's really just about being honest isn't it? Honest with yourself, with your choices, with those you love – to live not just to exist. If some people want to say that is just because they are GLBT, then fabulous! But I am made up of much more... we all have much more to give. But acknowledgment of who you are is paramount, or you just become entrenched in your own fear – and we all know that isn't a nice place to be, eh readers! Relationship status? I don't talk about my relationships, sorry. Favourite food GayNZ.com - 6th October 2004