“It’s our time to shine”

Auckland heralds a landscape of cultures, beliefs and traditions, many of which come together to celebrate throughout the year, bringing with them light, learning, and reflections. The lessons learnt fill their baskets of knowledge in the hope that all traditions and ceremonies are shared and pave the way forward.

Celebrants of Auckland and Aotearoa are no different.

By bringing celebrants from all cultures and experiences together, to share, we can all learn and shine from what we know and do.

Join us to ignite “Auckland to Shine” as an integral part of Celebrants Aotearoa New Zealand.

An interactive, fun-filled and collegial day is promised.

Our August event aims to help each of us build our celebrancy resilience. We’ll be able to advance forward in the face of difficulties and shine brightly even through adversity. You’ve also asked to learn about our broad cultural communities – and there’ll be opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of multicultural Auckland.

Please see the one-day programme for more information

We warmly welcome all Auckland celebrants and invite our fellow celebrants from around the motu to take part in this professional development day. Let’s all shine together.

The morning session

“Time to Shine; In every Season” – Timothy Giles

An interactive workshop exploring Resilience and Celebrancy.

Come ready to share and compare thoughts reflections and curiosity on resilience in our work as celebrants.

What is resilience in your professional setting?
How does it get tested in your work roles?
How does resilience and the need for it show up in our clients’ lives when we’re called on?

In this session we’ll explore tools, techniques, and cultural contexts for building, rebuilding, and retaining resilience personally and professionally.

Your committee members will use this workshop to consider CANZ role in supporting celebrant resilience.

The afternoon sessions

“Shining our light on diversity” – Sofia Hameed

A seasoned celebrant with exceptional love for people and talent for honouring lives and narratives, particularly within New Zealand's diverse ethnic communities. Sofia Hameed’s journey in New Zealand has been rich with vibrant experiences, both uplifting and challenging, echoing the theme of our event: it's our time to shine.

In her session, Sofia will share the richness of her multicultural background and experiences and how she weaves this into her ceremonies. This practical session aims to enlighten us on the spectrum of diversity within our communities. Sofia will show us how we can embrace diversity and skilfully bring it into our work in a meaningful way. It includes a perfect element of fun with Sofia bringing a range of exquisite wedding garments for us to look at and model.

“Tikanga Māori - Keeps us grounded - Waiata - Our Voice that shines within us” - Jo Kupa and Billy Davis

“ For generations, we are guided by storytelling that is handed down. Where we start, begins and ends in song.

Allow us to share our stories, through the rituals and protocols within Tikanga Māori that bring us home. And why sounds of song and music shine within us.” Jo & Billy (Hoana & Wiremu)

Living in multicultural Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, there’s an opportunity to learn about many cultures. Billy and Jo bring their combined experience and knowledge of te reo and tikanga to this interactive session.

As celebrants, there’s an opportunity to weave te reo and tikanga into our ceremonies. Through this session you’ll grasp the significance of incorporating both into your celebrant work, enhancing inclusivity and authenticity. It aims to increase and support your confidence in Māori customs and practice.

And it ends on a high note!

Presenter bios

Timothy Giles – keynote speaker

Timothy Giles is a funeral celebrant. He’ll explain why he chooses to work only in the funeral space as part of his path to understanding resilience and his ongoing learning.

A highly experienced communicator, facilitator, and trainer, he works with varying groups and individuals, from businesses and people to long-term unemployed youth. Timothy also runs training programmes on resilience, and how to build it in individuals and teams. His training and facilitation varies in subject matter but is always built around listening.

Originally a counsellor and non-violence trainer, Timothy had a parallel career in media, broadcasting and PR until a late-night assault changed his life and health. He now lives with the lifelong consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury. His journey back to health is one of fortitude and determination, beating the odds every (slow) step of the way.

Timothy is bringing his personal and professional insight into resilience to this workshop. Above all, he’s bringing interactive facilitative skills and curiosity to learn how resilience shows up in the work and lives of peer celebrants and our clients so we can improve our resilient skillset. And shine!

Learn more about Timothy here and listen to his interview with Jesse Mulligan RNZ here.

Sofia Hameed

Sofia is an educator, has been Dean of a College for more than 20 years, Speech Language Therapist, Counsellor as well as a Justice of the Peace. She speaks five languages and is an excellent communicator. Sofia is also a facilitator and mentor and has been a celebrant since 2016. She holds a Diploma in Celebrant Studies, graduating from the Celebrant School in 2019.

Sofia’s celebrant world sees her officiating numerous multi-cultural weddings, incorporating Hindu, Urdu, German, Fijian, Te Reo Māori, Arabic and of course English. She has also officiated large funerals with over 1000 mourners.

Joanne (Jo) Kupa

Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Singer, all of these keep Jo grounded. During her working day she’s proud of her leadership role, with her career spanning over 45 years. She’s also a busy funeral and marriage celebrant, graduating from The Celebrant School Te Wānanga Korowai Aroha in 2010.

Jo loves that she celebrates and learns from others no matter their age. Her whānau, and who she represents, are her priority. Jo’s community supports and surrounds her and she’s always considering how she can gift back. Through her love of many sports as a past player, she enjoys singing their tunes. Tikanga Māori, is her humble, respectful privilege of knowledge. Whilst not born into it, Jo has grown into it, and today she describes herself as learning.

Jo’s recently joined the Auckland branch committee of Celebrants Aotearoa. Her energy and passion for empowering others is contagious.

Billy Davis

Since joining Celebrant’s Aotearoa, Billy has taken an active role in the association as a member of the Auckland branch committee. He’s fluent in te reo Māori and well-skilled in tikanga Māori. Billy’s iwi is Ngāti Porou and he trains the Ngā Hau e Whā group who perform for special occasions including Mataraki and tangi.

Billy’s a very engaged member of his local community, undertaking a range of volunteer roles, including weekly volunteer of Victim Support and Crimewatch patrol in East Auckland. He also volunteers for the Heart Foundation, Breast Cancer and Auckland Cancer. Billy’s on the Board of Beth Shean Trust.