The Kupu Festival is a celebration of Māori writers – past, present and future. From 16th – 19th October, 2024, we will listen to some of our great exponents of te reo Māori on three different marae; hear about our literary traditions and think about the different ways to convey Māori perspectives through writing and performance.
Secondary school students will have an opportunity to meet four Māori writers and engage with their work, inspiring the young people to take up writing in te reo Māori and in English. The Friday evening and Saturday events are a smorgasbord of contemporary Māori writers – fiction, non-fiction, poetry, writing for screen and writing for young people.
The Kupu Festival is brought to you by the KUPU Trust and committee, plus the generous support of government agencies like MBIE and Creative NZ, and iwi and community organisations like Ngāti Whakaue, and Rotorua Trust. We are honoured to be supported by our two patrons: Patricia Grace and Sir Timoti Karetu and the Māori writers who so willingly contribute to make this a successful event celebrating Māori writers, Māori stories and Māori language.
Chair and Trustee, KUPU Trust
Rangitihi is the Mātauranga Māori & Engagement Lead at Te Aka Mauri, Rotorua Library. He taught Te Reo Māori at Rotorua Lakes and Raukura High Schools and has worked as a Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Education. He is a current trustee of both Te Pūmautanga o Te Arawa Trust and the Tūhourangi Tribal Authority, and composes for Te Kapa Haka o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, Raukura and Ngāti Tarāwhai.
Secretary and Trustee
As a teacher and educator Makoha has worked as an educational consultant, a Board of Trustee’s member, and served on the New Zealand Teachers’ Council. Makoha continues her support for young people and her lifelong advocacy of te reo Māori within schools and the community. With her husband, the late Heta Hingston, Makoha was instrumental in the formation of the Māori Party.
Programme Curator and Trustee
Founder of Huia Publishers in 1991 with a vision of increasing the Māori voice in New Zealand literature, Robyn is the Chair of the Māori Literature Trust, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kea, Ngāti Tuarā, and a trustee of Te Pūmautanga o Te Arawa. Robyn was made a Companion of the Order of New Zealand in 2012.
Treasurer, KUPU Trust
Rachel has worked as an accountant, administrator, and secondary school teacher. For the past 18 years Rachel has worked alongside her husband in his forestry contracting business where she has managed the financial and administrative functions of the business.
KUPU Trust Committee Member
Rafael is a Brazilian/New Zealander, with a 15+ year career in administration, project management, business development finance, strategic operations, and customer services, specializing in environment and banking, Rafael has worked across various sectors, including government, private enterprises, and not-for-profit organizations in New Zealand and abroad including fundraising and active participation in global-scale events like the FIFA World Cup.
KUPU Trust Committee Member
Ruakiri (Ngāti Tarāwhai, Te Arawa, Te Whakatōhea & Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) was born in Tauranga and grew up in Rotorua under the guidance and care of his parents, grandparents, marae and iwi. Ruakiri is a product of Māori-medium and International education and is a dedicated tutor, singer and composer of waiata Māori, specifically Waiata Tira (Choral) and Waiata-ā-ringa (Action Song). Ruakiri comes from a family of talented composers and writers that have won regional, national and international awards. He is a fluent speaker of Te Reo Māori, English and Spanish.
KUPU Trust Committee Member
Te Taiawatea is a System Innovator at Healthy Families Rotorua having previously taught in early childhood education. She is a Trustee of Ngāti Hinemihi Reservations Trust and Charitable Trust and is working towards a Masters of Māori and Indigenous Leadership exploring indigenous literacies for mental wellness. Te Taiawatea supports the marketing, communications, broadcasting and social media management of KUPU.
KUPU Trust Committee Member
Born in Tokoroa, raised in Kawakawa and Whangamata, now living in Rotorua. Christina (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hauā, Te Rarawa) has worked in the private sector, for iwi, for Parliament and now works for the Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. Christina’s current role as Principal Regional Advisor in the Bay of Plenty assists entities to access funding and deliver regional economic development projects in the region and also manages her partner's music business. Christina supports the marketing and communications management of KUPU.
