Matariki Williams

Matariki Williams is a Māori curator and writer based in Whakatāne, New Zealand. In 2021, she was appointed Pou Matua Mātauranga Māori, Senior Historian, Mātauranga Māori at Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage in Wellington. She is a member of the Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Whakaue, and Ngāti Hauiti iwis.

Early life and education

Williams grew up in Tauranga. She obtained an undergraduate degree in Māori studies and history at the Victoria University of Wellington. She pursued a master's degree in Museum and Heritage Studies.

Career

Williams became a Matauranga Maori curator at Te Papa in late 2016. Williams is co-founder of and co-editor of ATE Journal of Maori Arts. In 2024, she was involved in New Zealand's delegation to the Venice Biennale.

Personal life

As of 2020, Williams has a partner and two children.

Publications

Protest: Tautohetohe: Objects of Resistance, Persistence and Defiance, coauthor
Te Manu Huna A Tāne, contributor