A Paeroa teen who has built confidence through crochet is now blending culture with craft as he prepares to launch his own business.
For four years, Dwayne Anania, 18, has been using crochet as a way to curb boredom, but with an award under his belt and a push of support, he is almost ready to share his finished products with the world.
Dwayne was introduced to crochet through friends after taking up a sewing class.
“It was the most confusing and hardest thing to ever start,” he said. “I had made a crochet scarf just for practice and honestly had no intention in continuing with crochet at all.”
However, one day he decided to pick up a crochet hook and watch videos on how to make a variety of items.
Ever since then, he said, it became his whole life.
“The reason I love it so much is mainly because it’s the most relaxing thing ever and it helps – not just myself – but anyone to cure their boredom,” he said.
In 2024, he entered the Art Waikino Exhibition with one of his projects and won the Young Star Award, selling his work the following day.
“Ever since that happened, it made me think about all the things that I had been missing out on because confidence was holding me back, but I did it anyway and it was honestly not what I was expecting. You never know how things will turn out until you actually do it,” he said.
“[My confidence] has grown through the past year with the help of my youth worker Carolyn Walker, who would push me into anything that had to do with crochet.”
That drive has led Dwayne to pursue a business he calls Te Waihanga Crochet.
“It means ‘creative crochet’ but depends on how you use it,” he explained. “The things I am offering are crochet Māori-designed scarves… and [I’m] hoping that I can expand the business to other things in the near future.”
Dwayne also credited his former school Paeroa College in helping him build up confidence and skills to turn his passion into a business.
“And having amazing teachers and youth workers that were able to support and encourage me,” he said. “School was the foundation that helped me believe this could be.
“What’s next is growing my business and getting more ideas about what I can even add to my business, such as other things during the summer months as well.
“[Also] getting my level 3s and University Entrance to go off and study.”
BY KELLEY TANTAU
