Matariki is a 15 year old Maori & Pakeha student attending Nga Puna o Waiorea School in Auckland City. As well as a writer she is also a poet and has performed her own work at the ‘Auckland Speaks’ National Poetry Day, NZ Poetry Conference and the ‘WORD: The FrontLine’ – NZ high school slam poetry competition in 2017.
Like her father the award winning film maker Michael Bennett, she is also an aspiring script writer and penned ‘Huia’ a short film. Matariki is passionate about issues facing young Maori woman, her beliefs and traditions and how these come into conflict with Te Ao Pakeha (the European world).
As an active performer who also performs much of what she writes, Matariki will also be linking many of her blogs with her up and coming performances.