Te Awhirēinga Heperi is a Māori/Pasifika (Ngā Puhi, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Hāmoa) writer. Her writing frequently explores themes such as identity, belonging, and resistance. Her work spans poetry and spoken word, shaped by lived experience, cultural grounding, and a commitment to telling the truth. Te Awhirēinga's voice speaks to the realities of being young and Māori, and to the ongoing legacy of resistance, from the whenua to the written word. Her writing aims to disrupt and challenge colonial legacies, seeking to restore the integrity of Māori voices within spaces that seek to erode them.
Te Awhirēinga writes to invoke change, delegitimise the complicit, and uplift indigenous communities.
Discover the ways that you can get involved in the poetry community and support our Aotearoa poets.
