Tim Tipene
Founder of Warrior Kids and award-winning author.
Tim was adopted into the Waitai Tipene family, and raised in two cultures, NZ Māori and NZ European.
His tribal affiliations are Ngāti Kurī / Te Uri-o-Hau / Ngāti Whātua
Tim being inducted into the NZ Martial Arts Hall of Fame by Professor Dave Millar.
For Warrior Kids Tim received the following acknowledgements:
- Kiwibank New Zealander of the year Local Hero Award in 2015 and 2016.
- NZ Martial Arts Hall of Fame Inductee, 2013.
A trained counsellor with a graduate certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Tim also holds multiple Black Belt Ranks and teaching titles in various Martial Arts.
Inspirational Speaker: For over two decades Tim shared his story of overcoming an abusive and violent childhood with audiences both young and old.
Tim teaching Warrior Kids in 1999.
Photo from the NZ Herald.
In 1994 Tim created Warrior Kids, a self control and social skills programme for children and teens. For 28 years Tim ran Warrior Kids in schools and communities, changing the lives of thousands of young people and their families.
'You only have to look at my life, where I've come from,
the changes I've made, the accomplishments,
and you can see the effectiveness of Warrior Kids.'
- Tim Tipene
Tim's book awards & nominations:
Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Pānuihia
Finalist - Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for te reo Māori at the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2024.
Pipi and Pou and the Tentacles of the Deep
Storylines Notable Book 2023.
Pipi and Pou and the Raging Mountain:
Finalist - Wright Family Foundation Esther Glen Junior Fiction Award at the NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults 2023.
Rona Moon:
Storylines Notable Te Reo Māori 2021.
Māui - Sun Catcher:
Storylines Notable book 2017.
Hinemoa te toa:
Received two awards at the 2009 LIANZA Children's Book Awards: Te Tohu Pounamu mo te wahanga Kaiwhakamaori and Te Tohu Taurapa mo te whahanga Pukapuka Pikitia.
Haere, Farewell Jack, farewell:
Picture Book Honour Award at the 2006 New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children & Young Adults.
Named one of the top New Zealand picture books by Waikato University, 2010.Taming the Taniwha:
Selected for the White Ravens International Youth Library Catalogue as one of the world's top 250 children's books for 2002.
Named one of the top New Zealand picture books by Waikato University, 2010.The Wooden Fish:
Storylines Notable book 2000.
Listen to an in depth interview from Radio NZ
where Tim's discusses his latest book, 'White Moko'. 2020
You can read about Tim's life in the following books.
Available at all good book stores.
Video
Tim Tipene talks Warrior Kids 2016
