Interview with Qiane Matata Sipu

Abstract

Qiane Matata-Sipu (Te Waiohua Te Ahiwaru me Te _kitai, Waikato, Ng_puhi, Ng_ti Pikiao, Rarotonga, Mangaia) is an esteemed M_ori-Pasifika creative, storyteller, strategist and award-winning journalist and photographer. The impact-driven social activist and cultural commentator is all about disrupting the mainstream approach to amplify the voices of marginalised people and their communities to change the narrative for future generations. With a long career contributing to leading media publications and books across Aotearoa and the Pacific, Qiane is a regular guest speaker at women's, education, arts, business, and leadership events. She is the founder and director of NUKU, a social enterprise championing Indigenous women through podcasts, live events, video and a book, and her multi-media production company QIANE+co. She is also a founding member and co-leader of SOUL Protect Ihum_tao. In 2021, Qiane was awarded the Women of Influence Arts and Culture Award, and in 2023 became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to the arts. Her first book NUKU: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women was shortlisted in the 2022 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for Illustrated Non-Fiction and the PANZ book design awards.