Eva Toia was born in Waimate North and was educated at Te Ahu Ahu Māori Primary School, Ruawai District High School and Northland College. She continued her studies at Ardmore Teachers’ College and graduated with T.T.C. and a Certificate in Māori Studies from Waikato University. She has worked as a primary teacher, Kai Ako in Te Kohanga Reo, and as a tutor of Māori language at a Private Training Establishment at Tauwhara Marae, Waimate North. Eva has attended a writing workshop led by Witi Ihimaera, Patricia Grace and Trixie Te Arama Menzies at Pakanae in 1997. Eva is currently co-tutoring the Tuhituhi Ma Nga Tamariki at Rawene Polytechnic and will be taking writing workshops for Koori writers with Janine McVeagh in Sydney in September 1998. She writes children’s literature which she prefers to write in te reo Māori. She also does translation work and continues to work in the Taurangi Kohanga Reo in Waimate North.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence and phone conversation with Eva Toia: Feb. and 29 Aug. 1998.
Other
- Whakarongo. Ko ngā pikitia nā Kerry Gemmill [Illus. Kerry Gemmill]. Te Whanganui-a-Tara [Wellington], N.Z.: Huia, 1996.
- A children’s picture book in Māori on listening to different sounds. A reader in the Nga Kete series by Huia Publishers.
- Kia Tupato! Ko ngā pikitia nā Vaitoa Baker [Illus. Vaitoa Baker]. Te Whanganui-a-Tara [Wellington], N.Z.: Huia, 1996.
- A children’s picture book in Māori on the theme of being careful. In the
- Te Pouaka Tai a Karani. Kohikohinga. Wellington, N.Z.: Learning Media, 1997.
- Toia states this is ‘a story about children going into granny’s old abandoned house and finding her old sea chest.’
- Bug Salad. Julia Own. Trans. Eva Toia. Opononi, N.Z.: Te Reo Publications, 1997.
- Nga Huarere a Tawhirimatea. Kohikohinga 30. Wellington, N.Z.: Learning Media, 1998.
- Toia states this is ‘a play about a cat coping with the weather which includes a chorus.’
Other
- "Awangawanga." Illus. Christine Ross. School Journal 2.3 (1996): 20-22.
- A story of a Māori child’s first day at a new school.