Tongariro, Ruapehu, Aoraki nga Maunga
Whanganui, Rangatikei, Waitaki, nga Awa
Taupo, Waihora nga Roto
Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Ati Haunui A Paparangi, Ngati Hauiti ki Rata
Rapuwai, Waitaha, Ngati Mamoe, Ngai Tahu nga Iwi
Paimarire
Te Awhina Arahanga comes from Christchurch and has had extensive experience as a writer and researcher for heritage and historical projects, natural history, Taonga Māori, for developing exhibitions and interpretation for museums.
She specialises in oral histories, taonga conservation, archaeology and exhibitions research.
She is also a poet and a writer of fiction and non-fiction, including social history . She is currently completing a social history of fish and chips in New Zealand.
Te Awhina has been awarded the 2012 Māori Writer’s Residency at the Michael King Writers Centre to work on a collection of short stories. These short stories are based from the late 1970s to today. The collection focuses on Māori within Māori settings and also their adaption to and within the European world. Te Awhina has had short stories published in collections by Huia Publications and has submitted work to Radio New Zealand. She has won the Huia Short Story Award in 2002. She writes for the monthly Ngai Tahu magazine Panui Runaka.
She will be at the centre from May until July for her eight-week residency, but has also spent a month in the front room at the centre. She is involved in several activities organised by the centre, including poetry workshops in schools.
Te Awhina has worked as a heritage advisor for the New Zealand Historic Places Trust and for Ngai Tahu Development. She was education manager for the Canterbury Museum and was a heritage and exhibition consultant for Maori Girl Productions. She has also worked for the Mental Health Foundation and as a teacher at Kawerau College. Over the last 10 years, she has worked on a number of projects for the Department of Conservation and has been involved in projects such as the Kaikoura Museum, Aoraki Mount Cook Visitor Centre, the Punakaiki Visitor Centre, Ngai Tahu and Ngai Tahu runanga, hare Taonga o Ngati Whatua ki Orakei and the travelling exhibition Mana Pounamu. She has also been involved in overseeing and developing archaeological projects particularly Masons Bay Rakiura/Stewart Island and Neil’s Beach.
She is heritage and historical advisor for Ngai Tahu and holds a Ministerial appointment to Aoraki Conservation Board . She is the Māori Collection Advisor for the Taiaroa Collection.