Activist Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn iwi of the Māori of Te Rarawa and Ngāti Kuri people in Aotearoa (New Zealand) stands as a protector of Indigenous rights and territories, and the health of coastal ecosystems and customary Indigenous fisheries. As an executive member of Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa, the governing authority for her Te Rarawa peoples, Catherine is an outspoken voice against colonization, and for the upholding of Indigenous rights to their lands, waters and sustainable economies. During recent meeting of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, she spoke out about the impacts of deep sea oil drilling and rising seas on Pacific Indigenous peoples, amongst other vital issues. Photo credit: Shane Brown, Global Coordinating Group Media Team
