Amelia Butler

About the Artist

Amelia Butler is an indigenous Māori woman of Ngātiwai, Ngāti Awa and Ngāpuhi descent. She attended Kōhanga Reo (Māori language preschool) at a young age and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. Amelia studied Māori by correspondence at secondary school and led her school’s kapa haka (traditional Māori performance) group. She went on to major in Māori language, culture and performance in her Bachelor of Arts degree and Māori Land Law in her Bachelor of law degree at the University of Auckland. She also achieved a certificate in Contemporary Māori Performing Arts from Auckland University of Technology. Amelia moved to America in 2009 and currently resides in Los Angeles, CA. She started LA-based kapa haka group Ngā Anahera Māori (The Māori Angeles) in 2017 and leads the group. In 2018 Amelia started Learn Māori Abroad and now her life’s work revolves around sharing the Māori culture here in the USA. In addition to performing and teaching the Māori language, Amelia teaches haka (traditional Māori war dance) & poi (‘poi balls’) workshops for schools, organizations and Polynesian dance groups.