Puawai Cairns (Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi) is the Head of Matauranga Māori at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa. She is co-editor of Protest Tautohetohe: Objects of Resistance, Persistence and Defiance which has been shortlisted for the Ockham NZ Book Awards.