Moira Wairama

Wairama, Moira is a storyteller, writer and poet, and has worked supporting literacy programmes at a Kura Kaupapa Māori.

Moira’s first book Alphabet Art (Cycoda NZ), featured a collection of poems for children based on the alphabet illustrations of Austin Whincup. In 2020 this book and its illustrations was the basis for Arapū Toi (Baggage Books) which featured poems in Māori and was a finalist in the 2020 NZCYA Book Awards.

In 2006 Moira won the Joy Cowley Award for her book The Puppet Box /Te Pouaka Karetao (Scholastic NZ), illustrated by Bruce Potter. Baggage Books, which was set up by Moira and her partner Tony Hopkins in 2015 to publish Moira’s writing, is currently in the process of republishing both versions.

Moira’s book The Mother's Child, illustrated by artist Linda Tilyard, was the first book published by Baggage Books and was written especially for mothers as a reminder of to nurture their own creative child.

In 2012, Moira’s book Ngā Taniwha I te Whanganui- ā-Tara (Penguin, 2011) illustrated by Bruce Potter LIANZA Te Kura Pounamu Award and the Te Tohu Taurapa Award. Moira has been telling this myth to Wellington audiences of all ages since it was first told to her by Tipene O’Regan when she was a student at Wellington Teachers Training College. Baggage Books has played a significant role in keeping both the English and Māori versions in print.

Moira wrote Nanny Jo and the Wild Mokopuna (illustrated by Margaret Tolland) in 2023 when her sister Joanna was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer\. Her Māori version, Nani Jo me Ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, won the 2024 Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award in the NZ Children’s and Youth Book Awards.

Moira, who is Pākehā, writes in both English and Reo Māori, but is not a fluent speaker. She acknowledges the invaluable support of her editors, Mokena Potae Reedy and more recently Makaira Waugh, in the publishing of her Māori titles.

Moira and her partner Tony Hopkins are co-founders of the Baggage Co-op, which has been producing successful theatre works for over 15 years. Her first play, Questions, explored the subject of teen suicide, winning the 1999 Fringe New Works award. Supported by Ian Mune and Ross Jenkins, Moira later adapted it for television, winning a 2000 Qantas Media Award for Best Children’s/Youth Television programme. Her stage play 'Te Kauta', which looked at issues around speaking Māori, won a 2002 Fringe Theatre Award and she later adapted it for radio. 

Moira’s poetry features in a number of anthologies and she has been involved in organising poetry events in the Wellington area for many years.