RiffRaff is a mental health and running group grounded in indigenous values. 

It’s a space where people can fully express themselves, support one another through life and movement—not just exercise, but collective healing and growth. 

 Pablo Sinclair started RiffRaff in 2015 and says it helped him with both his mental and physical health. 

Pablo says the name "RiffRaff" was given to the group by some of the “upper crust” folk at an inner-city gym, because they didn’t fit the mould.  

 “We were always unapologetically ourselves—young brown men laughing, moving, and showing up in our full expression.” 

The run club began while he was helping look after his mum toward the end of her life. 

 “I’ve pretty much been moving since I could walk—never had a year off training since I was five. Movement became my outlet. After losing mum to poor health, a lot of it linked to the impact of colonial food systems, something shifted in me.  

“It broke me but also fired me up. I didn’t want to see the people I care about go through the same thing.” 

That’s when he decided to bring “the boys” - his friends and others they knew – on board. 

“Some took a bit longer than others, and not everyone’s still training with me, but I’ve planted the seed. Now it’s theirs to water.” 

Jackson has been with the  RiffRaff crew for three years and says it’s changed his life in multiple ways 

He says through the RiffRaff programme he has been able to physically push himself harder than before. 

“Our rōpū met me with open arms and open hearts. Providing a safe place for me to be my authentic self, connect in a positive way and train with brothers committed to be better for ourselves, our whānau, and our people.” 

He says the last three years “haven’t been the smoothest” for him and his whānau, and he feels he would be “far worse off” if it weren’t for the support of the RiffRaff crew.  

 “I have gained a lot of tools for my kete (basket of knowledge) to be able to cope in positive ways and feel more confident to be my authentic self.” 

 Sonny says it’s given him “shoulders I can always lean on, ears that are always open and willing to listen, connection back to culture, advice and experiences shared with each other to help.”  

 For Manaakitia, the programme helped him to understand himself better mentally and physically, which he says has given him better stability and awareness. 

 “It has also provided me with a community of like minded individuals that share in the or struggle and were able to support each other. It also taught me to be more charitable and caring to strangers.” 

 “It’s shaped me as a man today to be more understanding of others, take care of myself better and most importantly to have fun and not give a fuck.” 

 Pablo says his main motivation is he “genuinely want[s] to make a difference for our people”.  

 “We're always at the top of all the wrong health stats—and that’s not who we really are. That’s not our natural state. We’re so much more than the labels and numbers they try to stick on us. I want people to see us in our light—what we’re capable of when there’s hope and someone walking alongside us.” 

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