Tikanga specialists

Ngati Maniapoto, Ngai te Rangi, Ngati Awa

Storytelling runs in Joe's extended family. "We come from a very oral tradition. As a small boy I'd go to the marae where the kaumatua (elders), who were all storytellers, would do their whaikorero (speech-making)."

Joe Harawira is an International storyteller and tikanga (protocols) expert from the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island.

He has toured many times both nationally and internationally, taking his skill in Maori storytelling and oratory with him to indigenous and storytelling festivals in the USA, Hawaii, Tahiti, Canada and Australia.  

Joe is a passionate teacher and performer of kapahaka (perfoming arts). He has a long history of being involved in the Traditional Performing Arts. He led and tutored Te Kapa Haka o Te Whare Wananga for 30 years taking the group to 13 National Festivals.

He is also a member of a national group of judges whose role is to judge and to critique the country’s top traditional Maori performing groups which are represented at the traditional performing arts premier, Te MatatiniThis bi-ennial event involves up to 36 competing groups vying to be the top performing group in the country. He is also called upon regularly to judge at the regionals competitions as well.

Joe also features on many contemporary Maori programmes that are viewed by a national audience.  He convenes a popular programme with other well known faces on his panel called Whatukura, which deals with questions that are relevant to today’s society, from a Maori context and perspective.

He is also the Chairperson of the committee He Awhi Tikanga, which deals with Maori Protocols within the Maori arts sector. 

Previously working as a school teacher, Joe now works as a Principal Cultural Advisor, for the Department of Conservation. Joe is based out of Wellington National Office and lives in his hometown of Whakatane.

Joe is an exponent of the Maori language and a strong supporter of all Maori art forms. He also is a bearer of ta moko