Sonya Haggie was born in Huntly and was educated at Waipa Primary and Ngaruawahia High School. In 1979 she was a Rotary Exchange student in Oklahoma and in 1981 attended the journalism course at the ATI (now AIT). Sonya worked as a journalist at Waikato Times and published some stories in Tu Tangata. She lived in Australia for four years. When she returned to New Zealand she worked for the NZ Woman’s Weekly. While raising her children Sonya was a freelance journalist and also worked at Newstalk ZB in New Plymouth. She became a reporter/presenter for Aotearoa Television, worked in public relations at Sky City in Auckland, and is currently Communications Manager for Māori Television. Sonya has written many non-fiction articles as a journalist and is working on a novel.
Biographical sources
- Phone conversation with Sonya Haggie, 4 August 1998.
Non-fiction
- "Dreams and Hopes of Kaumatua Represented by Ohaki Māori Village." Tu Tangata 9 (1983): 30-31.
- A description of Ohaki Māori Village which was designed to "preserve, protect and promote Māoritanga".
- "Waikato Youth Opportunities: Homai Work Co-operative." Māori Wardens News: The Official Publication of the N.Z Māori Warden’s Association 4.2 (1983): 47-51.
- "Former Gang Member Goes Public." Tu Tangata 14 (1983): 15.
- A profile of former president of the Upper Hutt Black Power gang, Te Kuru "Eddie" Pairama.
- "Working among Navajo Children." Tu Tangata 14 (1983): 16.
- Haggie writes about New Zealander Farina McCarthy who works with Navajo Indian children at White Horse High School in Utah, USA.
- "Tainui Awhiro Celebrate Return of Land." Tu Tangata 14 (1983): 30-31.
- Eva Rickard speaks of her fight to have the Raglan golf course returned to the Tainui Awhiro people and her future vision for the land and its development.
- "Resigned to Marriage." Tu Tangata 14 (1983): Hi 61.
- Haggie writes of the arranged marriage of Metiria Anderson and Aropeta Tamou in 1933 and of their fiftieth wedding anniversary of 1983.