An Evening with Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku

Join us for an evening of reading, reflecting and korero with renowned kuia/queer, activist, and author Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku MNZM  (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato).  

Ngāhuia will read excerpts from her memoir Hine Toa: A story of bravery and share reflections from her life of activism.  There will be a short Q&A session after the reading.   

Ngāhuia Te Awekōtuku MNZM  (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato)  

In 1972, Ngāhuia was denied a visitor's permit to the United States on the grounds that she was a homosexual or "known sexual deviant". Ngāhuia led the Gay Liberation Front in Aotearoa, fighting for LGBTQI rights and Homosexual Law Reform.  

 She is the first wahine Māori in Aotearoa to earn a PHD and hold an Emeritus Professor title. She is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori culture. 

Ngāhuia is a renowned academic and author. Her areas of research interest include gender issues, museums, body modification, power and powerlessness, spirituality and ritual. She has researched and written extensively on traditional and contemporary tā moko practice.  

 Ngāhuia's memoir Hine Toa: A story of bravery, was published in 2024.