Kua noho a Janis rāua ko Anthony de Thierry ki Whakatū mō te katoa o ō rāua ao, ā, he takoha nui tā rāua ki te whakatiputanga me te whanaketanga o te reo Māori me ngā tikanga ki te rohe. Neke atu i te rua tekau mā rima tau rāua e tautoko ana i te reo Māori me ōna tikanga mā ngā kaupapa pēnei i te kapa haka me ngā kaupapa ā-iwi, ā, i mahi nui nei hoki rāua ki te whakatū, ki te whakawhanake anō hoki i Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia te Matangi – he Kura Kaupapa Māori e whai ana kia mau, ā, kia mātāmua hoki te whanaketanga o ngā rangatira, kia puāwai mai ai te pitomata i roto i a rātau, kia tipu ai rātau hai rangatira, hai whakamaunga kanohi, hai kaikōkiri ki roto i ō rātau hapori, i ō rātau iwi, hapū, whānau anō hoki. 

E haere tonu nei tā Janis rātau ko Anthony, ko ā rāua tamariki tokoono, whakaaraara ake i te iwi ki te whakahirahira me te wāhi nui ki tā te Māori titiro ki tōna anō ao hai waka whakaputa whakaaro, kia motuhenga tonu ai ngā honohononga. 

Ka kōrero a Janis rāua ko Anthony mō te ara i takahia ai e rāua, tae noa ki ngā taupā i pikitia ai e rāua, me ngā huarahi e takoto ake nei i mua i te aroaro hai whakarumaki i te iwi, i te hapū me te whānau ki te reo Māori me ōna tikanga.

Janis and Anthony de Thierry have lived their lives in Whakatū, contributing to the growth and development of te reo Māori and cultural practices within the region. Spanning more than twenty five years, they have been constant advocates for reo Māori me ōna tikanga through platforms such as kapa haka and tribal initiatives, and they have also been instrumental in the establishment and development of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Tuia te Matangi – a Kura Kaupapa Māori that strives to maintain, and resonate the importance of developing young people in their inherent potential to be leaders, exemplars, and contributors within their communities, and to their iwi, hapū and whānau.

With their six tamariki, Janis and Anthony continue to bring an awareness of the importance and necessity to understand and acknowledge the Māori World View as an essential communication tool in maintaining authentic, progressive relationships.   

Janis and Anthony will be speaking on their journey, the challenges they have overcome and the opportunities that lie ahead of us to immerse our iwi, hapū and whānau in reo Māori me ōna tikanga.