Our Story
The Long Pursuit
Whāingaroa is the Māori name for Raglan, meaning "the long pursuit" (after the legendary waka that searched far and wide before finding its final resting place). It felt like the right name for a jiu-jitsu journey too: one that never really ends.
What's now Whāingaroa BJJ, started as informal garage training back in 2016, when Rakai Rewherawha and Dr. Nate Marshall began rolling together as the "Raglan Rollers." Travis Browne, Andrew Higgins and Dai Jenkins joined the mix soon after, and by February 2017 the group had found a permanent home and Whāingaroa BJJ was officially born.
"There is no ego at our gym. Everyone trains with everyone, and rolls with everyone, with no expectations other than having fun and learning from each other."
Travis Browne, Head Coach