Speakers


  • Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku (Te Ārawa, Ngāpuhi, Waikato, Tūhoe) is a distinguished Māori scholar, activist, and author. With a PhD in cultural psychology, she has published extensively on Māori heritage, culture, gender, and sexuality. Known for her activism through Ngā Tamatoa, she has championed Māori rights, takatāpui visibility, and global indigenous movements. She is a Companion of the Royal Society of New Zealand and the first female Māori Emeritus Professor. Her work includes the acclaimed Mau Moko: The World of Māori Tattoo and curating E Ngā Ūri Whakatupu: Weaving Legacies.


  • Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal (Marutūahu, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāpuhi) is a researcher, composer, and advisor passionate about the creative potential of indigenous knowledge. His work explores mātauranga Māori, iwi traditions, and histories through research, teaching, music, and storytelling. He is the founder and leader of the modern whare tapere, community-based houses of storytelling, dance, and games. A former Director at Te Papa Tongarewa and Professor of Indigenous Development at the University of Auckland, Charles is currently the Director of the EcoQuest Centre for Indigeneity, Ecology, and Creativity.


  • Hine Waitai (Ngāti Kuri) is a highly skilled tā moko artist based in Te Tai Tokerau. Her moko designs reflect deep cultural significance, drawing on her knowledge of mātauranga toi. In addition to her work as a tā moko artist, Hine is also involved in waka building both in New Zealand and internationally. She is a strong role model for Māori women working in traditionally male-dominated fields, continuing to share her skills and knowledge with her community​.


  • Sharn Maree Cassady (Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) is a motivational speaker, spoken word performer, and advocate for mental health, political issues, and Indigenous rights. As an urbanised mokopuna, her journey of self-discovery drives her passion for storytelling, ensuring her tamariki know their tūrangawaewae. Sharn Maree’s work has taken her on international tours to Canada, Thailand, Brazil, and the USA, including the powerful performance Taioro ki te Whenua. She has collaborated with artists like Rameka Tamaki and co-authored Ngā Mata o Te Ariki Tāwhirimātea. Her art confronts colonisation, Indigenous challenges, and environmental issues, weaving past and present to inspire change.


  • Ana Heremaia (Ngāi Tū Teauru, Ngāti Rangi) is an interior designer and co-founder of ĀKAU, a design practice focused on empowering taitamariki through community-based design projects. Ana’s work emphasises the importance of incorporating local voices, particularly those of young people, into public spaces. She has worked extensively in Aotearoa, Europe, and Australia, and is passionate about bridging relationships between communities and organisations to create meaningful and lasting change through design.


  • Shane Cotton (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Rangi, Ngāti Hine, Te Uri Taniwha) is a renowned New Zealand artist known for his exploration of Māori and European historical themes. He draws on both cultural traditions to address issues of colonisation, identity, and bicultural exchange through his art. Cotton’s extensive exhibition history includes major galleries in New Zealand and internationally, with works featured in major collections such as Te Papa and the National Gallery of Australia. In 2012, he was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to visual arts​.

  • Frances Goulton (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu, Ngāti Hine) is a dedicated educator and artist with a passion for hapū rangatiratanga. A staunch advocate for the protection of marae, whānau, and natural resources, she uses her voice as a kaikaranga and her hands as a painter and patcher. Her work is centered on ensuring that future generations live free from harm, with a focus on equipping mokopuna with the tools they need to thrive. Frances believes in the power of te reo, tikanga, and whakapapa as key elements for a full and wholesome life​.


  • Hinekaa Mako (Taranaki, Whanganui nui tonu) is a climate activist, documentary filmmaker, and writer. A graduate of Te Reo o Taranaki and the International Institute of Modern Letters, she is a passionate advocate for Māori sovereignty and environmental protection. Hinekaa has played a key role in campaigns against offshore oil drilling, helping to shift government policy and stop exploration. Her work focuses on the intersection of climate action, indigenous rights, and storytelling, emphasising the need for collective efforts to protect the environment.

  • Margaret Aull (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Rarawa, Fiji) is a multimedia artist, curator, and arts advocate. Her work combines painting, sculpture, and installation to explore themes of whakapapa, whenua, and cultural identity. Aull completed her Master of Fine Arts at Whitecliffe College, focusing on the concept of tapu/taboo and visual representations of ancestors. She has exhibited internationally and is involved in Māori and Pacific arts advocacy, currently serving as Chair of Te Ātinga and a member of the Veiqia Project. Aull's practice is deeply rooted in social, cultural, and political issues.


  • Bethany Matai Edmunds-Cook (Ngāti Kuri) is a weaver, artist, and curator known for reimagining tūpuna kōrero (ancestral stories) in her work. Specialising in raranga (weaving), she has exhibited her works in prominent galleries and completed her Master of Arts in museum studies at New York University. Bethany is the former Associate Curator Māori at Auckland Museum and is passionate about supporting the next generation of artists. She currently chairs Wai Ora Marae and co-directs Toi Oho, a company focused on supporting tamariki through creative expression and wellbeing​.


  • Jasmine Te Hira (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Atiu, England) is an artist, arts educator, and community partnership coordinator. Known for her work exploring time, memory, and perception through object, video, and constructed spaces, Jasmine brings her expertise to Te Toi Mahara 2024 as a key facilitator and creative contributor. With a strong foundation in design and visual arts, she continues her research at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka, where she graduated as a Senior Scholar. Her practice engages deeply with cultural identity and creative expression, making her an invaluable part of our kaupapa.

  • Kawiti Waetford (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi) is a renowned opera singer and cultural consultant. With a Master’s in Advanced Vocal Studies from the Wales International Academy of Voice, Waetford has performed with leading orchestras and artists worldwide. He is also an advocate for Māori cultural education, serving as the Senior Māori Lead at New Zealand Opera. Waetford has voiced characters in Māori-language adaptations, including Kristoff in Frozen Reo Māori. His work spans opera, translation, and community engagement, blending cultural heritage with contemporary performance​.


  • Te Kawehau Hoskins (Ngāti Hau, Ngāpuhi) is an Associate Professor at Te Puna Wānanga and the Pro-Vice Chancellor Māori at the University of Auckland. Her research focuses on Māori philosophies, including Kaupapa Māori, and the politics of indigenous-settler relations. A leader in the education sector, she advocates for Māori community agency and is actively involved in conversations about indigenisation in university settings. Te Kawehau’s work also centers on Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its influence on educational policy and governance.


  • Ngahuia Harrison (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Pūkenga) is an artist and researcher at The University of Auckland. She completed her Doctorate through the Elam School of Fine Arts and James Henare Māori Centre. Ngahuia’s work focuses on lens-based practices, critiquing the exclusion of Māori from their land and resources. Her research explores the cultural and economic impacts of these losses on Māori communities, highlighting the ongoing consequences of colonial land dispossession. Her art practice serves as a powerful commentary on the intersection of culture, economics, and land rights.

  • Hori Parata (Ngāti Wai) is a respected Māori environmentalist and Tohunga Rangatira known for his extensive knowledge of mātauranga Māori and environmental protection. He has dedicated his life to the recovery of whales and combating issues such as kauri dieback. Parata has contributed to significant environmental and cultural movements, including the Wai 262 claim. His work emphasises the importance of traditional Māori ways of caring for the environment and passing this knowledge on to future generations​.


  • Mike Smith (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Kahu) is a prominent Māori environmental activist and iwi leader. With over three decades of experience in climate action, Mike has represented Māori voices on the global stage, including at the first climate change summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. He leads Māori climate work through the National Iwi Chairs Forum and has been at the forefront of Māori activism, promoting tino rangatiratanga and environmental protection. Mike continues to fight for Māori rights and the preservation of Aotearoa’s natural resources​.