Nikora Ngaropo

Nikora Ngaropo is a storyteller who believes that stories take many forms, and that through them, we remember who we are. With over fifteen years in the visual arts industry, he has built pathways for more than 10,000 rangatahi across Aotearoa through his initiatives Young Animators and Toro Academy, inspiring a new generation of digital storytellers.

“My work is about empowering Indigenous communities to shape the future,” he says. “Digital storytelling isn’t just a technical skill, but a way to preserve whakapapa, identity, and connection to the whenua.”

From animation studios to classrooms in the bush, Nikora’s work bridges technology, culture, and community. His workshops invite young people to learn from their elders, translate those teachings into digital stories, and in doing so, protect the stories, and the places, they come from.

As a 2025–2026 Obama Foundation Asia-Pacific Leader, Nikora continues to reimagine leadership through storytelling – grounded in purpose, driven by connection, and guided by the belief that when we preserve our stories, we preserve our future.