Young carver Daniel on his Prime Minister's Oranga Tamariki Award

Published: January 21, 2022

Aspiring carver Daniel McGregor is one of this year's Prime Minister's Oranga Tamariki award winners.

Daniel
Daniel McGregor is one of this year's Prime Minister's Oranga Tamariki award winners.

Aspiring carver Daniel McGregor is one of this year's Prime Minister's Oranga Tamariki award winners.

We caught up with him to view some of his awesome carvings and see how he felt about his award.

"I'm still shocked now that I got this award. I could tell that my family is really proud of me for doing this," says Daniel.

Transition Support worker Reuben Batten of Kapiti Youth Support is proud of Daniel and what he's achieved in the year they've been working together. 

"Knowing my young person's story and where he's come from, and where he sees himself going, it's inspiring that his past isn't a barrier," says Reuben.

"Where he's been hasn't stopped him from achieving."

Watch our video with Daniel McGregor, below:

Daniel McGregor, 2021 PMOT Award recipient

Transcript

Daniel: Hi my name is Daniel McGregor. I live in Ōtaki. I’m 20 years old and what I like to do is definitely carving.

Caption: Daniel is one of this year’s Prime Minister’s Orang Tamariki award winners.

Daniel: I thought there was just a trophy in there and like a card saying ‘congratulations Daniel’. But then when I opened it there was way more things than what I expected to be in the box.

There was a pounamu, four gift cards. It had like a link and the Prime Minister had done like a video to all the people that had won so that was pretty cool.

Prime Minister, Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern: So excited for you all and I can’t wait to see where your paths will take you.

Reuben Batten, Daniel’s Transition Support Worker (Kapiti Youth Support): Knowing my young person’s story and where he’s come from and where he sees himself going and y’know it’s inspiring that his past isn’t a barrier.

Where he’s been hasn’t stopped him from achieving and y’know we’ve only been working together for not even a year and this is what we’re accomplishing, I’m excited to see what next year will bring.

Daniel: I’m really happy and proud that I’m able to carve and carve things like this. Yeah. I’m still shocked now that I got this award, and I could tell that my family is really proud of me for doing this.

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