E nga taonga mapuna, e nga mana matahiapo tiketike, e oku whakamiharotanga, whakapupuri i te makuikui me te whakaaio. Kahore te ao nei tuarua rawa mai, naku rawa i whakaehu, naku rawa i kakekake, te tapu o Irakewa i Opihi ra.
Kei konei ka mihi pohangahanga ki te matinitini, ki te hakerekere me te kapunipunitanga e napu nei i te whenua i to ratou hinganga, nga mate tarurunui kua riro atu hei terenga waka wairua, kua marewa atu ki nga wai tokitoki, ki nga hau tahengihengi ki te aio moai rokiroki, a waiho ma hupe me roimata hei whakaea.
Whai ake, ko te mihi ki nga hapu me nga marae whakahirahira o Ngati Awa, "te toki whakatangatanga i te ra" e ngakau nui nei ki te whakaara ake i te hikareia mauri ki te whakarangaranga o tenei maramataka o te tau a "Whiringa-a-nuku". Kua tino mahana te whenua, e puawai an anga taonga o te Koanga.
Te Kei was appointed Chairman of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa in December 2008.
Born and bred in Whakatāne, Te Kei was predominantly raised by his Kuia (Pura Wātarawi) and Koroua (Warito Wātarawi) at their kāinga in Te Awa Tapu. Their teachings heavily influenced Te Kei, and provided the basis for the many endeavours undertaken in his personal and professional life.
Leaving Whakatāne in his early twenties, Te Kei joined the New Zealand Army where he dedicated a total of 25 years. Te Kei achieved the highest rank for a non-commissioned Officer as Warrant Officer First Class and Regimental Sergeant Major for the 6th (Hauraki) Infantry Battalion.
During his second tour of duty to Malaysia he met and married his wife Anne-Marie Marcus. They have three children and eight grandchildren, around which their lives revolve.
After retiring from the Army, Te Kei worked in a number of roles with the Department of Labour's Tauranga District, the Whakatāne District Council and the Department of Conservation.
Te Kei is also Chairman of Te Tapatoru a Toi (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Joint Management Committee with Department of Conservation) and the Rūrima Island Trustees.