Haukatangi Heta (Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga) has garnered more than four hundred thousand followers on TikTok from his viral comedic skits.
Heta said that it was Covid that allowed him to reconnect with his creativity and also help out with his mental health as he wasn’t working much.
Heta said his aunties at the marae became his break-out video as it had viral relatability with his audience.
“I didn’t have aunties that extreme but I just exaggerated it”.
Heta said that he thinks the combination of everything on screen that sells the skit makes it funny and popular.
“I get messaged by our people abroad and they say it reminds them of home and brings them thoughts of the old days.”
Heta says he enjoys reading messages from people abroad as he’s able to give people a home away from home.
Heta says there have been great opportunities that being popular on TikTok has afforded him. He is now signed up with an agency and is moving his content onto other platforms.
“I’ve met some incredible people, some really influential people and I’ve been in some really amazing spaces; it’s taught me to grow and really connect with people.”