Nuku: Stories of 100 Indigenous Women

by Qiane Matata-Sipu

NUKU is a movement amplifying Indigenous women across Aotearoa.

Founded on Māori principles and values, it draws inspiration from Papatūānuku, reflecting and honouring the ultimate female essence. 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.

Led, created by and entirely about Indigenous women, NUKU prioritises and celebrates the wāhine experience; our ceremonies, our knowledge systems, our atua, our kaupapa, our lives.

These women and their stories dare to carve their own unique portrait, showing that the world can be positively shaped by our diverse and connected Indigenous voices. Stories about who we are, not who we've been told to be.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism

341 pages

First published January 1, 2021

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is mana motuhake, and a physical representation and reminder of the resilience indigenous wāhine toa have achieved through so many different walks of life.

Genuinely so thankful that this book exists. Absolutely privileged to have been able to gift this book to my tīpuna wahine on her 87th birthday, to have read this at my current age of 26 and to pass this book basket of knowledge to my whānau.

Absolutely no idea when I started this, so pay no attention to the dates.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is as beautiful as it is powerful. The stories of 100 indigenous women are honest, inspiring and uplifting. As a Māori woman, who has seen her people misrepresented by mainstream media for generations, I feel that books like this drive a turning of the tide. Ngā mihi nui to Quiane Matata-Sipu and the team behind this taonga.

[Jayda Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

so powerful, inspiring and connected

[Christina Van Der Velde · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful stories of these mana wāhine, such a lovely read

[Tamar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book about impressive women, by impressive women.

[Jenny Housley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really changed the perspective on my thinking through reading this delightful book