Moira Wairama was born in Wellington, educated St Michael’s Taita, Taita College, Wellington Teachers Training College, and Victoria University. For many years she delivered a literacy programme and was SENCO for Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Māori.

Moira is an award winning writer for children in both English and Māori and also writes for radio and theatre. Her most recent book, Nani Jo me Ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, illustrated by artist Margaret Tolland, won the 2024 Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award in the NZ Children’s book awards.

Moira has facilitated community writing workshops for Read NZ Te Pou Muramura for both adults and children resulting in published work that reflects different cultural voices.

In 2015 Moira and her partner Tony Hopkins set up Baggage Books to publish Moira’s writing. To date they have published The Mothers Child, a picture book for mothers illustrated by Wairarapa artist Linda Tillyard, Arapu Toi, a collection of poems in te reo Māori based on the Māori alphabet, illustrated by artist Austin Whincup and a finalist 2020 NZ Children’s Book awards. Most recently Baggage Books published Nanny Jo and the Wild Mokopuna, Nani Jo me Ngā Mokopuna Porohīanga, illustrated by artist Margaret Tolland, written for Moira’s sister Joanna who was diagnosed with terminal breast cancer. The Māori version won the 2024 Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award in the NZ Children’s book awards .

Moira specialises in the bi-lingual telling of Māori legends and in creating original New Zealand stories. Together with her partner Tony Hopkins, she set up Baggage Coop to produce their theatre works across two decades and as Soul Food Tellers they have performed stories throughout New Zealand and internationally.