The intention of this research is to critically examine what Mana Tāne is, was, could be and perhaps, should be. This thesis is a personal record of my journey of resistance and transformation in what I thought was Mana Tāne. It aims to discuss some realities growing up, initially in Stokes Valley (a suburb in the Hutt Valley) and then in the “State Ward” system, I always wondered what Mana was, then more importantly, what was Mana Tāne/Mana Tāne Māori? Of what I experienced, it was what my father taught me, hit first, talk later, and get in their face before they get in yours. I didn’t see anything wrong in that at all, all my generation grew up knowing this, either be like your father/listen to your father or be an “outcast” The key objective is to find out what mana tāne is, could/should be, as it didn’t sit well with me, what it was to my father (he probably didn’t think that being a “Jake the Muss” was mana tāne either. I didn’t mind getting in someone’s face or even hitting first and talking later, as it made you “look tough” in front of others, and this to me was Mana. As I got older, being tough wasn’t “doing it” for me, it was starting to get boring. Most of my enemies were Tāne Māori, I put it down to being either stubborn or having too much pride in “stepping up” or “bowing down.”