Tawhanga Nopera


Tawhanga Nopeara is a Maori academic and artist of takatapui identity of Te Arawa, Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngapuhi descent.

Education

Nopera completed a creative practice Ph.D. from the University of Waikato in 2016. He is the first graduate from the creative practice PhD programme. His thesis was entitled, "huka can haka: Taonga performing tino rangatiratanga."

Career

Nopera is a leading Kaupapa Maori thinker in terms of indigenous trauma, Maori sexuality, indigenous identity issues, and being takatapui.
His work is part of the permanent collection of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu HA, and C.N. Gorham Museum at the University of California at Davis. He did a presentation on digital storytelling as a visiting scholar.
Tāwhanga is an advocate for people living with HIV in Aoteaora New Zealand having been on the board of Body Positive Aotearoa since 2016. Tāwhanga is the current Co-Chair.
Nopera is on the board of advisors of Visual Aids.

Personal life

Nopera identifies as takatāpui.