PIKIHUIA AWARDS FOR MÂORI WRITERS CEREMONY

The Awards have seen significant growth since they started in 1995, and more entries have been received this year than ever before. It is clear that the Awards are providing that inspiration for Mâori writers and aspiring writers to put pen to paper – or rather finger to keyboard – and tell their stories.

The Awards have gained considerable respect within the literary community and are a significant mark of achievement for those who make it to the finals. They are serving as a springboard for the careers of a new generation of Mâori writers.

To all the finalists you were selected from a large pool of entries. Congratulations on this affirmation of the literary works into which you have poured your unique insights and your creative energies.

Together you are pushing the boundaries of New Zealand literature and building a lasting heritage.

I’d like to pay tribute to Robyn Bargh and her team at Huia Publishers, as well as the Mâori Literature Trust – Te Waka Taki Korero and all those who have offered sponsorship and assistance to make this year’s Awards happen.

There is no doubt that New Zealand’s literary landscape would be a great deal poorer without the passion, commitment and sheer hard work of those who seek to recognise and promote our writers.

In 2006, Robyn Bargh was the first winner of Creative New Zealand’s new Te Tohu Toi Ke a Te Waka Toi award for making a difference in the literary sector. It was a well-deserved accolade for such a strong voice in Mâori publishing.

Mâori writers are among the best New Zealand has to offer. The unique world views of Mâori captivate audiences at home and abroad, whether on the pages of books or on the big screen.

Witi Ihimaera, Keri Hulme, Patricia Grace and Alan Duff are household names who have paved the way for new Mâori writers. In 1985 Keri Hulme set the literary world abuzz with The Bone People, the only New Zealand author to date to win the international Booker Prize and the first indigenous writer to win it.

A new wave of Mâori writers to receive critical acclaim, among them Paula Morris, James George and Kelly Ana Morey, have taken up the challenge to write about our differing experiences – from marae-focused stories to tales of life set in an urban landscape. Their characters are Mâori and non-Mâori; they live in Aotearoa or overseas. Mâori writers who have experienced success share in the understanding that good writing crosses cultural and physical boundaries and speaks to the common experience of being human.