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Māori Creators, Leaders and Heroes

These resources cover mythical Māori heroes like Maui, and Kupe, famous warriors like Willie Apiata and Hōne Heke, historical figures like Princess Te Puea and Sir Apirana Ngata, Māori All Blacks, musicians, artists, writers, dancers, chefs and much, much more. SCIS no. 1808626

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Pounamu – Apirana Turupa Ngata

Pounamu – Apirana Turupa Ngata

Ngāti Porou leader Sir Apirana Ngata is celebrated in this episode of a series about leading Māori.

The everyday heroism of Joe Pona.

Bravery at the Front. Poverty Bay Herald, VOLUME XLIV, ISSUE 14239, 6 mARCH 1917

Tau Paruihi, a young Rangitikei Māori, was personally decorated with the Distinguished Service Medal.

A set featuring Māori heroes over the ages.

This DNZ set explores Takaparawhā (Bastion Point reserve) which was occupied by Ngāti Whātua protesters, led by Joe Hawke.

Documentary covering the presentation of the Victoria Cross to Corporal Willie Apiata.

Six Māori Battalion soldiers camped in Italian ruins wait for night to fall.

The chiefs Hongi and Waikato

The chiefs Hongi and Waikato

Waikato is on the left, Hongi Hika in the centre, both standing and wearing kiwi feather cloaks and flax skirts, both carrying mere. Hongi shown holding a taiaha as well. Thomas Kendall is seated o...

Tukaroto Matutaera Potatau Te Wherowhero Tawhiao

Tukaroto Matutaera Potatau Te Wherowhero Tawhiao

Portrait of Tukaroto Matutaera Potatau Te Wherowhero Tawhiao, the second Māori King, taken between ca 1880 and 1894, by an unknown photographer.

The famous Arawa Māori entertainers

The famous Arawa Māori entertainers

Māori concert programme for a concert featuring Guide Rangi, Ana Hato, and other members of the company. Programme featured "Waiata poi" composed by Alfred Hill. Previously estimated as 1925. Howev...

Māori Battalion

Māori Battalion

Members of the Māori Battalion examining their weapons before moving up to the FDL's in the Faenza sector.

Once referred to as “the Mother of the Nation,” Whina Cooper first came to public attention as a leader of the 1975 protest hikoi that marched from Te Hāpua in Northland to Parliament demanding a h...

Te Horetā Taniwha

Te Horetā Taniwha

Te Horetā Taniwha had the incredible luck of not only visiting the ship Endeavour on its first voyage but also meeting Captain Cook. This occurred when the Endeavour sailed into at Mercury Bay to o...

Te Whiti-o-Rongomai III, Erueti

Te Whiti-o-Rongomai III was a descendant of both Awa-nui-a-rangi, the founder of Te Ati Awa of Taranaki, and Tahu-ao-ariki.

Biography of Rua Kenana

Rua, known as Te Rua or Tai to Tuhoe, was born in 1869 at Maungapohatu.

Upper Hutt Posse - E Tu

The first video from Upper Hutt Posse - E Tu - this is Aotearoa Hip-Hop history ya'll. Respect!

28th Maori Battalion

This site is dedicated to the men who served with New Zealand’s 28th (Māori) Battalion during the Second World War.

An unsung musical hero

Johnny Cooper, was one of the most modest heroes New Zealand popular music has ever had.

The Prophet and the policeman

Paul Diamond reviews 'The Prophet and the Policeman: The Story of Rua Kenana and John Cullen' by Mark Derby.

Young Māori Party

Young Māori Party

The Young Māori Party, an influential political force from the 1890s, was not an organised political party. Rather it was an alliance of Māori MPs, many of them former students of Te Aute College i...

NZ Victoria Cross winners

Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu was the first Māori soldier to win the VC

Māori and sport – hākinakina

While Māori have featured more strongly in certain sports than in others, successful Māori sports people can be found across a variety of sports.

Interview with Patricia Grace

Brief interview with writer Patricia Grace.

Popular music: Māori and Pacific music, 1980s and 1990s

Māori musicians have always made a significant contribution to the popular music industry, but apart from the Howard Morrison Quartet’s occasional recordings of Māori popular standards, there was v...

Poi E - Patea Māori club

Classic 1980s song by the Patea Māori club.

Shane Cotton is one of New Zealand's best-known contemporary painters.

Lt Gen The Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae

Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae was sworn in as New Zealand’s 20th Governor-General for a five year term on 31 August 2011.

Lest we forget: Te Whiti o Rongomai

In 1879 Te Whiti o Rongomai started non-violent resistance to government surveying.

The 40th anniversary of the 1975 Māori Land March

Information relating to the Māori Land March of 1975 led by Dame Whina Cooper.

Written and directed by James Napier Robertson, The Dark Horse is an inspiring true story based on the life of a charismatic, little-known New Zealand hero, Genesis Potini.

Koha Ramai Hayward

A pioneer of New Zealand cinema, Ramai Hayward is credited as this country’s first Māori filmmaker, camerawoman, scriptwriter and screen star.

Julian Dennison’s journey

Julian Dennison is a simple, normal kid from Naenae in Lower Hutt.

Keri Hulme’s novel, The Bone People, won the 1984 New Zealand Book Award for Fiction and the Booker Prize in 1985.

Our koro Rua Kenana was one of many Māori prophetic leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Lest we forget: Te Puea Herangi

Te Puea was born at Whatiwhatihoe, near Pirongia in the Waikato, daughter of Te Tahuna Herangi and Tiahuia, daughter of the second Māori King, Tawhiao Te Wherowhero.

Witi Ihimaera was the first Māori to publish both a book of short stories and a novel.

Keisha Castle-Hughes’s rollercoaster ride

Life has been something of rollercoaster for Keisha Castle-Hughes since Whale Rider.

Dalvanius made great contributions to his Patea community, to Māori culture, and to our national identity.

Breathing life into legend

Digital artistry is helping bring ancient Māori gods into the 21st century, thanks to the efforts of Hutt photographer Norm Heke.

'Mother of the Nation' Dame Whina Cooper immortalised at Panguru

Revered leader Dame Whina Cooper — and one of the country's most iconic photos — are now immortalised in bronze at Panguru.

Lisa Carrington

‘In 1996, as a seven year old, I recall watching the Atlanta Olympics. After Danyon Loader won his gold medals in the pool my Dad said “you should go to the Olympics”. All I knew was that Olympians...

Sir Hekenukumai Busby

Sir Hector Busby's lifework was restoring the ancient knowledge of waka hourua (double-hulled waka) and training a new generation of Māori in waka carving and navigation.

Sir Māui Wiremu Pita Naera Pōmare

Māui Pōmare, of Ngāti Mutunga and Ngāti Toa, was born in 1875 or 1876. He was the first Māori doctor, and as a Māori Medical Officer he toured Māori districts, advising people about public health. ...

Sir Jerry Mateparae

Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Jerry Mateparae was sworn in as New Zealand’s 20th Governor-General for a five year term on 31 August 2011.

Māori sports stars

From a US Golf Open champion to an Olympic Games champion and a European football trophy winner, Māori have made their mark on the global sporting stage.

King’s mission to change the way the country approaches mental health. He has helped tens of thousands of Kiwis.

Dr Lance O’Sullivan

Named New Zealander of the Year in 2014, Dr O’Sullivan champions improved health outcomes for Māori, especially in Northland.

100 Māori Leaders

Recognised by their peers and loved ones for their contributions, service, vision, dedication and expertise towards constructive change and improvement to Māori health, this website invites you to ...

Māori Sports Awards: hall of fame

A gallery of Māori sports people that have achieved outstanding success at international and national level.

Māori All Blacks

The Maori All Blacks is a historic team representing the proud culture of New Zealand.

Areta Wilkinson

Areta Wilkinson (b. Kaitaia, Aotearoa New Zealand ) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most respected artists in the fields of contemporary jewellery.

The Maketu sisters

Maketu sisters Kasey and Karena Bird never would have imagined they win one of the biggest cookbook awards or be travelling the world filming a cooking show.

Dr Louis Potaka

Takaka’s forgotten Maori doctor fought an uphill battle.

Māori Battalion veteran Epineha Ratapu dies aged 98.

Outstanding Māori business leaders honoured

A renowned astrologer and leading authority on the Māori lunar calendar, experts in Māori tourism, and funeral directors who are also Netflix stars, are some of the winners of the University of Auc...

William Rhodes-Moorhouse

William Rhodes-Moorhouse, was the first airman and Māori to receive a Victoria Cross, served as a pilot in the early months of the First World War.

Nichola Te Kiri: a career in contemporary Māori design

Nichola Te Kiri incorporates Māori symbols and stories into the designs of her creations.

Māori and the Stage and Screen

Māori and the Stage and Screen

This story provides links to resources about some of Aotearoa New Zealand's Māori stars of stage and screen.

Māori Creative Writers

Māori Creative Writers

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's significant Māori creative writers.

Māori Musicians, Songwriters and Performers

Māori Musicians, Songwriters and Performers

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's Māori musicians, songwriters and performers.

Māori Artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries

Māori Artists of the 20th and 21st Centuries

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's Māori artists of the 20th and 21st century.

Māori Weavers and Carvers

Māori Weavers and Carvers

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's tohunga raranga and tohunga whakairo (expert weavers and carvers).

Sir Tipene O'Regan

Episode 1 of the Māori Television series, The Negotiators, about Sir Tipene O’Regan.

This story provides links to resources about Māori orators.

Māori Protest Changemakers

Māori Protest Changemakers

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's Māori protest changemakers.

Māori Political Movements and Changemakers

Māori Political Movements and Changemakers

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's Māori political movements and changemakers.

Māori Composers of Waiata and Haka

Māori Composers of Waiata and Haka

This story provides links to resources about some of New Zealand's Māori composers of waiata and haka.

No-nonsense 31-year-old Māori/Samoan woman Monique Fiso is behind one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in years. Get ready, Wellington.

Dr Rangi Matamua

Dr Rangi Matamua is a leading expert in Māori astronomy.

Dr Ocean Mercier

Dr Ocean Mercier (Ngāti Porou) is a Senior Lecturer at Victoria University. She has a PhD in condensed matter physics and was the presenter of Project Mātauranga, a science series on Māori TV.

Puawai Cairns (Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga) is kaihāpai Mātauranga Māori at Te Papa museum. She specialises in contemporary social history research and collecting to reflect the stor...

Dr Moana Jackson

Dr Moana Jackson (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Porou) is a lawyer, author and lecturer specialising in Treaty of Waitangi and constitutional issues.

Top Māori fashion designers launch Britomart pop-up

Early in 2020 a pop-up opened on Tyler Street, Britomart to showcase designs by six top Māori fashion labels. As the first store of its kind, dedicated solely to high-end Māori fashion, it was a ve...

Kāhui Fashion Collective open high-end Māori fashion store

A group of top Māori designers under the Kāhui Fashion Collective launched a pop-up store in Britomart, Auckland.

Atamira Dance Company Leads the Way in Maori Dance

Atamira Dance Company continue to cement their global status as the leading producer of Māori contemporary dance.

Māori contemporary dance going global

Find out what's making Māori contemporary dance stand out on the world-stage as we follow Atamira Dance Company, international choreographer and dancer Charles Koroneho and two aspiring Māori dance...

Biographies of advocates of te reo Māori

Between the mid-1970s and the 1990s, there were major changes in how the government treated the Māori language, and in how te reo Māori was seen by New Zealanders. Some of the key people and organi...

The men behind the steel

Modern technology is changing the way Māori artists are creating their work especially in Gisborne.

Journey through an audio-visual multi-media series and meet 100 indigenous women doing things differently.

Tuwhare and Hotere

Tuwhare and Hotere

From tribal politics to the world stage: New Zealand’s pioneering foreign minister

Nanaia Mahuta grew up surrounded by family fighting for Māori rights and has promised to bring her indigenous perspective to foreign affairs

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