A legacy publication for the whole whānau
NUKU: Stories of 100 Indigenous women
The power of storytelling is evident in our earliest pūrākau. Stories can change the world. It is how our tūpuna passed on their knowledge, the blueprint for living well, for generations.
Through telling their stories, the women in this book seek to influence the world around them. The youngest is 14 and the eldest is in her mid-70s. They are wāhine Māori, Moriori, Pasifika, Melanesian, Wijadjuri, Himalayan and Mexican.
*Shortlisted for the Booksellers Aotearoa New Zealand Award for Illustrated Non-Fiction as part of the 2022 Ockham NZ Book Awards.
This pukapuka is a powerful and important snapshot of Indigenous wāhine today. Through wide-ranging voices this ambitious social documentary allows readers to obtain authentic insight into life as an Indigenous woman in a way like never before.
The stories recorded here are of incredible wāhine. Each offer significance to the story of mana wāhine. From Oscar-nominated filmmakers and award-winning musicians, to scientists, entrepreneurs, tribal leaders, artists, environmental champions, knowledge holders, mothers and more.
MADE WITH AROHA
100
Indigenous wāhine
344
Pages
3
Years in the making
1
Kaupapa
CHANGE THE NARRATIVE
Reviews
Kete Books
People often talk about the representation kids need to see but rarely do they talk about what we need as adults. Often we look at things and wish we had had them growing up, so that our lives may have been different, but Nuku: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women is one of the few things I’ve discovered in my adult life that’s made me think: This is exactly what I need right now.
This could change things.
- Review by Siena Yates
Woman Magazine
Much more than a coffee table book of photogenic Indigenous women, this is a wildly successful reframing of these women in all their complex glory. the collective impact is one of resounding joy.
- Review by Mel O'Loughlin
Christchurch City Library
As I read NUKU, I found myself going down a rabbit hole of googling and book borrowing. Every wahine I read about made me want to look more into them. I wanted to buy from their businesses, learn from their research, and support their kaupapa. I also wanted to learn more about the cultures of those from outside Aotearoa. It’s fascinating to see where the similarities between various indigenous cultures lie, and where our differences are. All this to say: I can’t wait to show this to my daughter.I really loved this book, and I think you will too.
- Review by Julia CCL
Qiane Matata-Sipu is an award-winning journalist and an award- winning, international-exhibiting photographer. She is also a social activist and cultural commentator who has a 14-year career contributing to leading media publications and books across Aotearoa and the Pacific. Qiane is a regular guest speaker at women’s, arts, business and leadership events. Specialising in topics of identity, culture, land and women, NUKU is her first book.
Qiane Matata-Sipu
NUKU FOUNDER - INTERVIEWER/WRITER/PHOTOGRAPHER
We Indigenous wāhine lived in a
media-saturated world, but we weren’t swimming in our stories.
I set myself a wero, to amplify the voices of Indigenous wāhine doing things differently - sharing connections, collective wisdom and aspirations. My goal was to change our narrative for future generations. In the process we unearthed the power of te ira wahine in our own lives.
We began to heal.
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