Donovan Farnham

Working in the Māori world isn’t a nine-to-five job, says Donovan Farnham. “I ‘am’ a lot of different things, including a teacher, a translator, a consultant, a businessman,” he explains. “Some of it is paid, and some of it is in a volunteer capacity, but my identity comes from the fact that I am all of those things at any given time.” 

Although he may have a wide range of titles, now including 40 Under 40 award winner for 2023, Donovan’s working life has one clear focus. “Everything that I do in my professional capacity is for the betterment of te ao Māori,” he says. “Not only is that rewarding in itself, but I know that my knowledge of te reo Māori has got me to where I am now.” 

Donovan graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Education specialising in Huarahi Māori in 2013. He was awarded top scholar for pāngarau and te reo Māori, and the Dean's Award for being one of the top five achievers in the faculty. He also received a summer research scholarship and a Tuākana scholarship for his work as a student mentor.

Having since become a licensed interpreter and translator of the Māori language, and receiving a Master of Māori Language Excellence from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Donovan remains humble about his contribution to the revitalisation and reclamation of te reo Māori. “My biggest challenge has been, and continues to be, my realisation that I don’t know as much as I think that I do,” he says. 

Reflecting on his time at the University of Auckland, Donovan says that he was “introduced to paradigms that challenged my thinking, leaders in their fields, and opportunities that would not have been afforded to me elsewhere.” He’s grateful to four essential people who have guided his journey through te ao Māori – Hēmi Dale, Leon Blake, Sir Tīmoti Kāretu and Pānia Papa.

“I am well aware that I am where I am because of my elders,” he says. 

In 2021 Donovan established Te Ahunui Ltd, which provides Māori-language consultation, translation services and professional learning and development. He has recently completed his masters and is looking to start a doctorate next year, while also working on his first book, titled Whānau, which has the aim of bringing te reo Māori into homes across Aotearoa. 

Having worked as the strategic leader of Bilingual Pathways at Pasadena Intermediate for the last five years, he’s also interested in finding better support for his colleagues. “After seeing how difficult it is to be a classroom teacher, and adding to that the hidden responsibilities that come with teaching in Māori medium, I’d love to continue my work assisting kaiako reo Māori.”

For Donovan, there’s no “magical moment” where he feels he has reached his goals, instead, he operates on a continuum that extends far beyond the confines of a nine-to-five job. “I’m pleased to see what I’ve done so far,” he acknowledges. 

“But there’s always the next thing.”