Nathan Grey, who identifies with the Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and Ngāti Raukawa iwi, grew up distant from te reo Māori and the cultural heritage his grandparents experienced under suppression. Raised in an environment where success was equated with assimilating into Pākehā norms, Grey said he was advised that to succeed, he needed to adopt a “white” identity. This outlook shaped his early years, leading him to embrace a persona he described as “white” during his high school years, despite his Māori heritage.

Grey recounted being nicknamed “the Dalmatian” due to his efforts to fit into Pākehā society, a label he accepted as a sign he was achieving his goal of identity assimilation. However, this perspective shifted after his older brother completed a full immersion course in te reo Māori at Te Wānanga Takiura. Inspired by his brother's experience, Grey enrolled at the same institution to reconnect with his ancestral language.

The decision to study te reo Māori marked the beginning of Grey’s journey toward reclaiming his cultural identity. He has since become a teacher of te reo Māori, reflecting on the process as returning to a fundamental part of himself that he had previously set aside. Grey described this reconnection as a natural but profound homecoming to a key element of his heritage.

His story underscores the challenges faced by many Māori whose cultural roots were diminished through historic suppression, as well as the ongoing efforts within communities to revitalize te reo Māori and reclaim indigenous identity.