10 questions with Rob Hewitt

Rob Hewitt has been at the forefront of engagement between tangata whenua and water safety as well as the search and rescue system in recent years.

Tēnā Koe Rob, can you please introduce yourself?
Ko Takitimu te waka
Ko Tamatea Arikinui te tangata
Ko Ngāi Te Rangikoianake te hapū
Ko Kahuranaki te maunga
Ko Poukawa te waiu
Ko te Hapuku te tangata
Ko Tumapuhiarangi te tekoteko
Ko Te Whatui-Apiti te Rangatira
Ko Kahuranaki te marae

Can you tell us a little more of your story before you fully engaged with search and rescue?
I grew up on a sheep and beef farm near Pōrangahau, central Hawke’s Bay. It was 1986 when I joined the Navy straight out of boarding school with five mates. I contributed to search and rescue when our ship worked with P-3 Orion aircraft to retrieve lost fisherman who’d been found, but I didn’t fully understand how much coordination and collaboration goes into that work. Later on I became a navy ship’s diver and part of the role was body recovery, often with Police. 

In 2006, you were rescued after drifting for four days in a diving incident. How did that change your life’s path?
I stepped away from the ocean, leaving the Navy and focusing on my passion for rugby league. I built a career in management for elite level teams, including as assistant manager for the kiwis at two world cups. 

So what brought you back to the ocean? 
In 2010 I was invited to be a trainer of polynesian crews on ocean-going double hulled waka for an environmental documen-tary. I initially said no, but people I respected challenged me: “How are you giving back to the oceans which helped you survive your ordeal?” We trained in Devonport for two years, then I spent two further years sailing from New Zealand to California and back.

How did that lead to tangata whenua engagement work around water safety? 
On the voyage, none of the polynesian crew had formal skippers tickets, so I reached out to Coastguard to get them qualified. In our discussions I learned how Māori and Pasifika were over- represented in the drowning statistics, and I asked what Coastguard was doing to teach the right skills in an accessible way to those communities. 

And what was Coastguard’s answer?
They had no Māori or Pasifika tutors, and weren’t teaching in places where those at-risk communities could access the training. Together, we developed the Kia manu kia ora programme, deliver-ing that training at marae and local churches with tutors from the ocean-going waka project. The programme acknowledged and respected the way those communities interacted with the water. 

How did your work broaden into the wider SAR sector?
My rescue back in 2006 left me with a strong desire to give back to search and rescue. The Coastguard relationship brought  opportunities to kōrero with other SAR organisations, and I chal-lenged them on what they were doing to engage with tangata whenua or develop cultural competency. The sector has begun to face those challenges by bringing on Kaihautū Māori (cultural leaders) and supporting engagement and cultural projects. 

Can you give us some examples of some of those successful projects in the SAR space?
A volunteer survey about developing their Te Ao Māori knowl-edge told us they wanted to get a better understanding of rāhui. We’ve conducted detailed research, iwi-volunteer engagement as well as educational videos for volunteers, land managers and the public. We’ve also helped create karakia (incantations) for several agencies, which helps clear the mind and focus on the gravity of the situation during an operation, and a vehicle for closure at the end of the job. 

In 10 years time, where would you like to see our SAR sector in its Te Ao Māori journey?
I’d hope for the understanding that the journey is a long one. There needs to be respect within the relationship, and an ongoing, con-sistent commitment to resource and develop it.

In closing, can you share a whakataukī (Māori proverb) that you’d like members of the SAR sector to reflect on? 
“Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi” translates to “My strength is not that of a single warrior, but that of many.” This emphasizes the importance of collective effort and acknowledges that success is often the result of teamwork and support from others. With this in mind I’d like to thank the other Kaihautū Māori, and the Tatai Heke group for their support and leadership. Dr Chanel Meads, Te Manawa, Ngatokorua Miratana, from NEMA, Pererika Makiha from Coastguard Tautiaki Moana, Mark Pirikahu from Land Search and Rescue, Wayne Rhodes from Maritime New Zealand, Brent Matehaere, Surf Life Saving NZ, and Andy Greig, NZSAR Secretariat.

Profile image: supplied

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This story was originally published in the July 2025 issue of Link magazine, which is produced by the NZSAR Secretariat for the wider search and rescue sector.