Lying on a Fiji beach, holidaying with friends this year, transgender champion Mary Haddock-Staniland was unexpectedly overcome with an intense longing – and finally a feeling of readiness – to reconnect to her heritage and learn te reo Māori.
“We lay on the beach watching kapa haka videos, me bawling my eyes out, and it was amazing,” recalls the global businesswoman.
Just weeks later, she had begun private language lessons and knew it was going to be one of the most healing experiences