Olivia Aroha-Giles

Aroha Giles, Olivia (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ati Awa, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Kuia)(1962 – ) was raised in Wainuiomata. She pursued her passion for the arts, earning a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Textiles and an Advanced Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing from Whitireia New Zealand. She is currently undertaking a Master's in Education focusing on neurodiverse learning challenges.

Giles began her writing career with the children's book Two Homes (2006), which was distributed widely in New Zealand primary schools and later released as an audiobook. Her short story ‘Stepping Outside the Boxing’ was shortlisted for the Pikihuia Short Story Awards and featured in a collection of finalists.

In 2013, she published her first major novel, Heart of the Tapu Stone, the inaugural book in the Threads through the Whāriki trilogy. The novel was included in the curriculum at Bonn University, where Giles also lectured. The second instalment of the trilogy, Feather from the Kākahu, was published in 2015. Her latest novel, The Eldest Girl (2024), is a multigenerational family drama spanning from the 1960s to 2013, exploring themes of love, loss, and redemption.

Giles' work often centres on contemporary Māori life, featuring strong, independent female characters. Her narratives are rich with drama, humour, love, suspense, and action, coining the term ‘HineAtua (Goddess) Lit’ to describe her genre. She also writes and illustrates children's books, aiming to reflect and celebrate Māori culture.

Beyond writing, she is the Art Director of Dusky Productions, a Māori publishing company she helped establish. She is also a painter, sculptor, and textile artist. She has curated and displayed works at Pataka Gallery in Porirua and collaborated with local artists on various projects.