No dread for the big chop
Lionel Taito-Matamua’s dreads are one of the most recognisable parts of his look.
Published 10 August 2021
His colleagues spot them from across the Te Aro campus, and his three daughters use them to find him in a crowd or out shopping.
But when Lionel decided it was time for a change, there was no question over whether to use the occasion to raise money for charity.
Lionel, the Pasifika engagement adviser, Office of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor (Pasifika) in the Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation, is shaving off his dreads to raise money for Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. He is aiming for a fundraising goal of $5,000, and the donations to his Shave for a Cure fundraising page are growing every day.
The aim of the fundraiser, Lionel says, is not only to raise money for a worthy cause, but to let anyone affected by cancer know that the university community has their back.
“There are people outside these walls, and even students and staff here, who are going through these battles. It’s just about offering support, whatever it is, and doing this one little thing to show them that we see them.”
Lionel comes from a family who are deeply dedicated to service, and this is a thread that has run through his own life. He is a volunteer boxing trainer at PunchFit Boxing and Fitness NZ, a Lower Hutt community boxing gym that aims to help the community in the Hutt Valley become more active in a supportive, welcoming environment.
Lionel became a trainer at Punchfit after attending classes there and experiencing not only the health benefits, but the positive impact the gym community had on his emotional wellbeing.
“I went through my own personal struggles in terms of mental and physical health. Boxing helped me cope with all of that and address those issues.
“Having that supportive network at the gym helped me rebuild. It’s about giving back, but it’s also become a passion of mine.”
Lionel’s Shave for a Cure event will be held as part of a wider fundraising event at the gym. There will be a group fitness class, shared food, “and then after that, the hair comes off!” The date for the event has yet to be set, but will be announced on Lionel’s fundraising page when confirmed.
Lionel has been a presence at the Wellington Faculty of Architecture and Design Innovation for over a decade, first as a student and then, since 2019, as the Pasifika engagement adviser. One of his most notable achievements as a Master’s student was creating Creative Pathways, an outreach programme which helps make 3D technology more accessible to young Māori and Pasifika students. Lionel now leads the programme as part of his role.
Lionel is part of a group of Pasifika engagement advisers who are based in each faculty, all of whom are alumni. This experience, Lionel says, gives them a perspective that allows them to understand exactly what students need.
He is passionate about seeing the growing numbers of Pasifika students coming through every year and helping connect them to services and support that they might not otherwise have known about.
“The interaction is amazing, especially when I see them come in that first day, and then I see them go through second year, third year—and then if they decide to stay for postgrad, I’ve pretty much done my job.
“Even if they struggle on a few papers and don’t pass, it’s my job to say, how do we bounce back? How do we make sure that doesn’t happen again?”
Although Lionel’s dreads have become such an iconic part of his identity, he doesn’t feel any trepidation about cutting them off—though he does speak wistfully about the benefits they provide during winter.
“When I’m outside, I tend to use them as a scarf, so that’s one part I’m going to miss!"