Leonie Hayden

Ātea Editor

Leonie Hayden (Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Ngāti Rango) is the editor of Ātea, The Spinoff's Māori and indigenous content channel. She is the former editor of Mana magazine and Rip It Up magazine. Email her on leonie@thespinoff.co.nz

Aroha arohatia love te reo Māori language

Some thoughts about Pākehā learning and speaking te reo Māori

Be gentle. Ask permission. Count yourself lucky.

By Leonie Hayden | 17th February, 2021

(Image: Getty)

It’s time for men – all men – in the music industry to step up

“Men don’t have to deal with this shit. We’re just trying to do our jobs.”

By Leonie Hayden | 29th January, 2021

Charlie and Melur share a kiss (Image: Auckland Zoo)

Auckland Zoo’s orangutans have an amazing new home, and they’ve never been happier

Care is at the centre of Auckland Zoo’s mandate, and it’s clear to see when you witness the staff doing their day-to-day jobs up close.

By Leonie Hayden | 20th January, 2021

Ex-staff of MAGA-linked Hoppers bar speak out on ‘intense and upsetting’ culture

Ex-staff of MAGA-linked Hoppers bar speak out on ‘intense and upsetting’ culture

An Auckland bar attracted heat last month for hosting a US election party attended by MAGA hat-wearing Trump supporters. Three former employees say that incident is the least of its issues.

By Leonie Hayden | 16th December, 2020

Auckland Art Gallery curator Māori art, Nigel Borell, in front of Michael Parakowhai’s ‘Te ao hurihuri’. (Photo: Leonie Hayden)

Conversations across time: Toi Tū Toi Ora and the power of Māori art

A morning spent exploring the new Toi Tū Toi Ora Māori contemporary art exhibition at Auckland Art Gallery with curator Nigel Borell stirred up many complex feelings, writes Ātea editor Leonie Hayden.

By Leonie Hayden | 8th December, 2020

Stuff’s Carmen Parahi.

Inside the Stuff apology to Māori

'It's about putting our pou in the ground and saying ‘OK, that’s our whakapapa, but it doesn’t have to be our legacy’.'

By Leonie Hayden | 2nd December, 2020

A hard day to be wahine Māori

A hard day to be wahine Māori

Leonie Hayden gets in her feelings about a shitty day for Māori women.

By Leonie Hayden | 24th November, 2020

Just a few of the amazing Nuku 100 – Pualani Case, Dr Huhana Hickey, Ema Tavola, Aqui Thami. (Photos: Qiane Matata-Sipu)

Nuku 100: The ambitious project by wāhine, for wāhine

Profiling 100 indigenous women – how hard can it be? Very bloody hard, it turns out. But worth every sacrifice, says Qiane Matata-Sipu.

By Leonie Hayden | 17th November, 2020

Review: Rose Matafeo will make you laugh and make you cry in Baby Done

Review: Rose Matafeo will make you laugh and make you cry in Baby Done

An awkward threesome. Too-close peeing. Indignity on a nightclub bathroom floor. A shining performance from Rose Matafeo. All of these are reasons to see Baby Done.

By Leonie Hayden | 22nd October, 2020

The Māori Party’s John Tamihere and Rāwiri Waititi were upbeat on Q+A with Jack Tame yesterday. (Image: TVNZ)

The Māori seats: what happened and what’s still to come

The Māori seats were electrifying to watch as the results came through on Saturday. Here's what happened.

By Leonie Hayden | 19th October, 2020