Toi Tangata Journal Writing Workshop (ONLINE)

This two hour online Writing Workshop will provide examples of articles and practical tools to help kaituhi for the Toi Tangata Journal 2026 cohort structure their writing.

The workshop will be facilitated by:

A fierce champion of te reo Māori across the realms of research, tech, and community, Dr Gianna Leoni is an Ōtepoti based māmā of two. Having completed her PhD examining government attitudes toward te reo Māori in te reo rangatira, she is now a Senior Advisor at Te Hiku Media where she is at the forefront of Māori speech recognition, archival transcription, and the ever-evolving use of artificial intelligence in te ao Māori. 

Gianna also fulfills the role of Chairperson at the South Pacific Rugby League and Sports Club where she supports Parakori, a kaupapa that immerses tamariki in te reo Māori through sport, tākaro and community movement. 

Dr Ngāhuia Mita is a proud māmā of two living her ultimate waka life in Te Tairāwhiti. Her PhD explored Tairāwhiti voyaging philosophies, centering mātauranga Māori and ancestral navigation. 

A recipient of the Royal Society Te Apārangi fellowship, Ngāhuia’s current research explores how waka hourua can be vessels for kaitiakitanga and hauora. Her mahi brings together ocean, identity, and wellbeing, reminding us that our pathways forward are often guided by those who navigated before us.

A māmā of two, based in Ōtaki, Dr Terina Raureti is a powerful force in kaupapa wai. She completed her PhD on Kauora, a whānau-derived theory and praxis of swimming for Māori, reimagining how we engage with water as a source of wellbeing.

For the past three years, Terina has brought Kauora to life with whānau in Ōtaki and continues to embed this kaupapa through kura, kōhanga reo, and community spaces as part of her Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.

Toi Tangata Journal

Too often, the knowledge within our communities goes unseen, unshared, or unrecognised in traditional spaces.

The Toi Tangata Journal creates a space where our voices are centred,  where Māori knowledge, practice, and lived experience are not only included, but lead.

It is about:
• Sharing what we are doing in our communities
• Strengthening collective knowledge
• Inspiring others through our mahi, and
• Creating a legacy for future generations

For all enquiries, please contact Chelsea Cunningham-McLean at chelsea@toitangata.co.nz