We are a community of women across multiple communities of colour from South Asian, South-East Asian, Central Asian, African, Tongan, Samoan, Latin American backgrounds who call Aotearoa, New Zealand home.

 

We came together with the support of our founder Ara Alam-Simmons, recognising at the start of 2021 that there were very few forums for such groups to collectively and meaningfully engage beyond the ‘food, festivals and flags approach’.We don’t know each other's stories and we have been encouraged by design to keep separate and work in silos. As a community of women from a diverse range of professions, occupations and backgrounds we share, support, and empower each other to progress the wellbeing of our various communities and find opportunities for connection and collaboration across our communities. 

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We are committed to 'deepening relationships' and committed to connect women to each other, to our Māori and Pasifika and wider communities.

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Manawaka Ao was a name gifted to us by our kaumatua Paa Riikau Terry-Karapa and recognises our various stories of people of the waka who have travelled to Aotearoa from various parts of the world with our gifts, strengths, mana and also challenges to make Aotearoa, New Zealand home. Our community recognises our responsibilities and obligations as Tangata Tiriti of colour.  

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