Melissa Banks is a well-known photographer from Whakatū Nelson, in Te Tauihu o Te Waka-ā-Māui, the top of the South Island. Melissa’s photography spans documentary, commercial, lifestyle and fine art, and she is commonly seen photographing events in Te Tauihu, particularly kaupapa Māori. Melissa’s photos have been displayed in a variety of different exhibitions, both in Te Tauihu and nationally. The photos in Te Ara o Hine Rēhia were extremely well received when exhibited in both Whakatū and Wairau, and companion exhibitions resulted in the photos gracing the streets of Whakatū and also suspended from the ceiling of Nelson Airport.

He uri a Jeremy Banks nō Ngāti Rārua, Rangitāne ki Wairau, Ngāti Kuia, me Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

While Jeremy’s career has been in business and software, his journey of cultural reconnection resulted in teaching himself te reo Māori, so that he and Melissa could raise their three daughters speaking te reo Māori as their first language. This journey has brought Jeremy closer to his whakapapa, ultimately resulting in the whānau relocating to Whakatū where Jeremy is involved in kaupapa for his iwi and hapū.