Ninakaye Taane-Tinorau is of Ngati Maniapoto whakapapa. She was born and raised in Otautahi, Christchurch before moving to Auckland at age 19. There, she became a peep show dancer and stripper, working in the sex industry for 4 years. With that lifestyle, came an addiction to drugs and alcohol. She isn’t one to shy away from this period in her life, in fact, she talks about it openly to help other wahine know the realities of this world.
Today, the māmā of three (and new nana) is proudly 18 years sober. She is a managing director of a successful music production company and record label and, is one of only three people in Aotearoa who instructs Kemetic Yoga. She is also a training facilitator of women’s safety programmes.
In this episode we talk about her journey, the dark parts of her youth, through to her experience with domestic violence. And, the light parts of her adulthood, sharing with us her time with Lakota people as she, along with other Māori women, performed a haka in solidarity against the North Dakota access pipeline. She also shares how she is using her platforms to help inspire, motivate, and empower Indigenous women.
Content warning: This episode talks about domestic violence and discusses adult themes.
Don’t want to miss the next NUKU100 podcast and image series? Sign up to our newsletter and we will deliver the link direct to your inbox. You can also subscribe on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, just search ‘NUKU’.
