Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku in conversation with Carla Donson

We are honoured to be hosting Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku MNZM (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) at Lit 2025. Ngāhuia holds degrees from the University of Auckland and the University of Waikato. An Emeritus Professor, she has worked as a curator, lecturer, critic, researcher, and leader in both the heritage and tertiary sectors. She is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, and a Fellow of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Now based back at the pā, she serves on the Paepae Tapu o Ngāti Whakaue. In 2025, Ngāhuia won the General Non-Fiction category at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for her acclaimed memoir Hine Toa: A story of bravery.

Carla Donson MNZM manages the Women’s Network and founded Whanganui’s La Fiesta and Winter Wonderfest. A long-time columnist and community advocate, she was named Whanganui Person of the Year in 2023 and awarded a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2024.

This session is sponsored by our friends at Sims & Co Whanganui.