Judges have announced the finalists in five categories in Massey University's Nga Kupu Ora Aotearoa Maori Book Awards 2014.
The awards have been held annually since 2009 to formally recognise Maori literature. Massey University director Maori Associate Professor Te Kani Kingi said six years on it was even more importantfor the awards to be held given the recent announcement about the future of the New Zealand Book Awards being under threat.
This year 16 books are finalists in the arts, biography and history, fiction, non-fiction, and te reo Maori categories.
"It is heartening to see such a strong line-up of finalists and also a growth in the number of publishers," Dr Kingi said.
"Books by 12 publishers have been shortlisted this year including two universities, one in New Zealand - Otago - and one overseas, the University of Minnesota. Two of the books are self-published."
The shortlisted books are on Maori topics published between July 2013 and March this year. Dr Kingi said the four-member judging panel had been impressed with the number of books published and in the quality and scope of them. The panel is headed by Te-Putahi-a-Toi (School of Maori Art, Knowledge and Education) senior lecturer Dr Spencer Lilley and includes kaihautu Maori (Maori library services manager) Sheeanda Field, Te-Putahi-a-Toi lecturer Dr Darryn Joseph and an external judge, Alexander Turnbull Library chief librarian Chris Szekely.
Shortlist:
Te Mahi Toi - Arts E Kata te rakau - Phil Belcher (Hastings City Art Gallery) Fred Graham - Fred Graham and Maria de Jong (Huia Publishers) Kia Ronaki - edited by Rachael Ka'ai-Mahuta, Tania Ka'ai and John Moorfield (Pearson) Te Haurongo me Te Hitori - Biography and History Inez Kingi - Pihopa Kingi (Pihopa Kingi) Te Paruhi a nga Takuta - Nigel Beckford and Mike Fitzsimons (Fitzbeck Publishing) Ukaipo - Eria Migoto (MTG Hawke's Bay) Te Pakimaero - Fiction Between the Kindling and the Blaze - Benjamin Brown (Anahera Press) Night Swimming - Kiri Piahana-Wong (Anahera Press) Where the Rekohu Bone Sings - Tina Makereti (Vintage) Te Korero Pono - Non-fiction Ara Mai he Tetekura: Visioning our Futures - edited by Paul Whitinui, Marewa Glover and Dan Hikuroa (University of Otago Press) He Korero Anamata: Future Challenges for Maori - edited by Selwyn Katene and Malcolm Mulholland (Huia Publishers) Extinguishing Title - Stella Coram (Common Ground Publishing) Living by the moon - Wiremu Tawhai (Huia Publishers) The Fourth Eye - edited by Brendon Hokowhitu and Vijay Devadas (University of Minnesota) The spirit of Maori Leadership - Selwyn Katene (Huia Publishers) Te Reo Maori - Mori language He tuhi Marei-Kura - Pei Te Hurinui Jones (Aka & Associates)
