She was born at Whirinaki in the Hokianga and was educated at Whirinaki Māori School from 1955-60, Kamo Primary School from 1960-62 and Kamo High School from From 1967-70 she worked as a telephone operator and then worked for seventeen years as a Contact Lens Technician. She was a Head Custodian at Auckland University Students’ Association from From 1993-95 she studied toward a Certificate in Supervisory Management and a NZIM Certificate in Small Businesses at Auckland Institute of Technology. She was a child caregiver in 1996 and a Home Care Worker for eleven months from Alongside her paid employment Tamihana has been involved in community work, whanau projects, the Trade Union movement and with Broadsheet. Her published work includes non-fiction articles, reviews and interviews. She has been a full-time Foundation Studies student and studied mentoring.
Biographical sources
- Correspondence from Tamihana: 24 Feb. and 21 Apr. 1998.
Sound recordings
- "Ehara Taku Toa I Te Toa Taka Tahi Engari He Toa Taka Tini (My Strength Is Not One Of The Individual But One Of Unity)." Broadsheet 169 (June 1989): 24-26.
- Co-authored with Pat Rosier.
- "Breaking Sound Barriers: Irirangi Women." Broadsheet 182 (Oct 1990): 14-17.
- Co-authored with Pat Kipping.
- "Lesbian Organising." Women Together: A History of Women’s Organisations in New Zealand: Nga Ropu Wahine o te Motu. Ed. Anne Else. Wellington, N.Z.: Co-published by Daphne Brasell; Historical Branch, Dept. of Internal Affairs, 1993. 554-557.
- Co-authored with Ngahuia Te Awekotuku, Julia Glamuzina and Alison Laurie.