Based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Delilah Te Aōrere Pārore-Southon is a writer, editor, publicist and communications strategist. Her mahi acts as a conduit between the worlds of the arts, culture, the Aotearoa media, and Te Aō Māori. She creates connections, stories, wordflows, creative partnerships, and wairua-filled communication strategies from and with big ideas, that grow communities and build deep connections.

She believes storytelling is a taonga, a treasure, a gift from her ancestors, and a tool to heal and tell stories for future generations. Her passionate mission is to establish new-wave, modern, tatsteful and accessible creative pathways for Māori, and wider communities. She works across an evolving rotation of writing, communications and creative projects. And, she regularly contributes long-form essays, profiles, features and thought pieces to leading arts and culture publications across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Delilah is a staunch advocate of Māori and indigenous rights and development; she is leading iwi and hapu development initiatives for Te Kuihi, in Tunatahi, Te Tai Tokerau.  And, her Māori development mahi sees her fostering and building key relationships between the crown, key stakeholders, and hapu through crafting solutions for the way forward, in an ode to Tino-rangatiratanga.

Delilah contracts to aligned organisations, agencies and brands to develop and direct strategies that help build large scale creative ideas through utilising the foundations of Kaupapa Māori, and tūpuna whakaaro. She understands culture, and it’s nuances, and adheres to create connections in many forms, and strategise pathways to build new communities and reinvigorate feeling.  She’s passionate about heart to heart, vibrant, real communication that opens doors, establishes genuine connection and starts new kōrero, and conversation for real change and impact.