Ngā Kaituhi Māori

 

Nau mai, haere mai ki te kāhui o ngā kaituhi Māori. 

Welcome to Ngā Kaituhi Māori, the new organisation for Māori writers. Formally established in 2024, the chair is Witi Ihimaera. Perena Quinlivan is Te Māngai Māori ki te Poari Representative and komiti member.

Patrons are past NZSA President of Honour Witi Ihimaera and Dr Haare Williams writer and rangatira o te reo. 

Ngā Kaituhi Māori is an exciting evolving space designed to bring together, support, and uplift the voices of kaituhi from across the motu and beyond. It hopes to develop an inclusive and collaborative, rather than competitive, kaupapa with Māori-led organisations publishers, libraries and festivals having significant Māori components, the Māori Literature Trust, Te Hā o Nga Pou Kaituhi, Kotahi Rau Pukapuka and so on. As well, it expects to widen involvement of Māori literary practitioners previously not catered for in te reo including te reo translators, academia, film, television and other electronic media. This will be their atamira. 

2025 NKM Pānui:

Ngā Kaituhi Māori Pānui 1# 2025

Ngā Kaituhi Māori Pānui #2 HUI

Ngā Kaituhi Māori Panui #3 2025

Ngā Kaituhi Māori Pānui #4 – 2025 

Ngā Kaituhi Māori Pānui #5, 2025

---

TE KĀHUI O NGĀ KAITUHI MĀORI

Events 2025

---

GISBORNE MĀORI WRITERS HUI,  9 – 12 OCTOBER, 2025

 

Tui Tui Tuhia Tairāwhiti – Poho o Rawere marae

Kaituhi Māori’s third hui following Orongomai and Motueka is scheduled for Gisborne October 9-12. Witi Ihimaera will be the convenor of this full three-day hui which will be held coincident with the Tairāwhiti Arts Festival. Activities will continue in region until October 19 – see below for all details.

“The main programme will take place at Poho-o-Rawiri marae,” says Ihimaera, “but visits are expected to take place to Waituhi, one other marae yet to be confirmed, and workshops in writing whakapapa, writing in te reo, fiction, poetry and film will be held at various city venues. We hope to run a parallel programme for rangatahi writers.” The hui will be co-organised by the TaiTech Writers Hub run by Ihimaera’s sister Polly Crawford.

“People will have to register for the hui,” he says, “as places will be limited. The fact that the hui will be held at the same time as the arts festival means that participants will be in Gisborne City at a very festive time. We are planning a night of readings and recital at Poho-o-Rawiri and a banquet kai.”

. “Having regional hui in both islands is going to be one of the signature activities of Kaituhi Māori going forward,” says Ihimaera. “We think this is the best way for us to grow the pūtea of our writers of the future. Following Gisborne, we plan to have our hui in Nelson the following year, 2026.”

______________________________________________________________________________________

To connect for future events, please sign up to Te Kāhui o Ngā Kaituhi Māori.

Check out the KUPU Festival of Words two-day programme in October,

in Rotorua, where the MĀORI LITERATURE TRUST will present the 2025 Pikihui Awards.

https://www.kupu.org.nz/

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________

Tēnei te mihi kauanuanu, te whakamanawa hoki, ki a Te Mātātuhi.

“Te Kāhui o Ngā Kaituhi Māori is thrilled to be supported in our inaugural year by Te Mātātuhi, mīharo! A special focus of our first annual national hui wānanga this October in Gisborne is to model marae-based programmes that we can deliver to iwi kainga at future hui. We want to create pathways for Māori writers who wish to write creatively in te reo.
A particular goal is to create new literary stars among the new kohanga reo generation of rangatahi writers. We know they are there. With your support we can begin to find them. Tui, tui, tuhia!”
Witi Ihimaera, Chairman.

HE KARANGA KI NGĀ KAITUHI RANGATAHI

E whakanuia ana e Te Kāhui o Ngā Kaituhi Māori te manaakitanga a te Te Mātātuhi Foundation, nā rātou i tuku mai he pūtea hei hāpai i ngā kaituhi rangatahi o te motu.
Kua whakaritea e rātou te $2400 hei utu i te rēhita, te noho marae, me te hākari, mō te 12 o ngā kaituhi rangatahi, arā, $200 te wāriu mō ia tangata.
Ka tuwhera tēnei kaupapa ki ngā rangatahi kei waenga i ngā tau 18 ki te 25 te pakeke.
Ki te hiahia koe ki te whai wāhi, me tuku mai e toru ngā rota, tētahi tuhinga roa rānei tētahi paki poto i roto i te reo Māori, te reo Pākehā rānei.
Ko te 12 o ngā tuhinga ka tino whakaaweawe ka riro i te karahipi.
Ka kati ngā tono i te 1 o Hepetema.
Tukua mai ki:

Tēnei te karanga — kia rangona mai ā koutou reo, kia pānuihia mai ā koutou kōrero!

 

---

HUI KAITUHI – October 13-19

HUI KAITUHI – Creating on the Coast

 

Day  4 Mon 13 Oct

9 – 11 am Morning: Guided Heritage Walk of Turanganui-a-Kiwa. Heritage walk of important historic and cultural sites of Gisborne City

10 –11 am  Mo ngā tāngata he kōrero Māori

HB Williams Memorial Library, Mahutonga Meeting Room | Entry: Free

He kōrero no Te Runanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa e pā ana ki te hekenga mai o te māori mai i Hawaiki ki Tūranganui a Kiwa.  He kōrero anō hoki mo te kumara me te waka Horouta. 

Nau mai, haere mai, rarau mai.

1 pm – 2.30 pm Literary Taxidermy (write a short story) with Taranga Kent

H.B. Williams Library, 34 Bright St, Gisborne (Mahutonga Meeting Room)

Explore new avenues for creativity with our Literary Taxidermy session. This is a fun writing exercise to ‘stitch together’ a flash fiction piece with a sentence starter and final sentence provided. You create the ‘stuffing’ that comes in between. Koha.

Taranga Kent is a teacher, author of Not Just a Teacher, poet, proofreader and photographer. She writes poetry, short stories, children’s picture books, songs and educational resources. Taranga has facilitated creative writing workshops at writers’ retreats and schools, and judged poetry and speech competitions.

4 pm Editing with Shelley Burne-Field – Crafting, editing, laying out & polishing

At Taiki e!

Join award winning and published author Shelley Burne-Field for tips and practical advice on how to craft your submissions for publishing and competitions.

Entry Koha

6.00 pm Fish n chips dinner and writing at Midway Beach Picnic Tables book on huikaituhi@gmail.com if you want to order fish n chips or just byo

Optional drinks at Tahu Restaurant afterwards

 

Day 5 Tues 14 Oct

10:30 am – 1:30 pm DROP-IN WRITING CAFÉ — Free

For a few hours, Gizzy Local is transforming into a cozy Writer’s Café. Drop in, no need to register, and get stuck in to whatever writing you want to get done. If you’re inspired by being in a new setting or by being around other writers drawing from their creative well, swing by Gizzy Local’s Writing Café with your preferred writing tools. We’ll put the jug on and there might be a friendly writer for you to chat with. Otherwise, it’s just time for you to put the metaphorical or literal pen to paper and get some words down. Venue: Gizzy Local, 64 Lowe Street.

11 am – 12 pm  Laughter – the Best Medicine

Witi Ihimaera, Haare Williams, Taranga Kent, R. de Wolf and friends are entertaining our Kaumatua in conjunction with sponsor Turanga Health at the Cossie Club. Performance 11 – 11.30 am and Group Kōrero 11.30 am to 12 pm

2.30  pm – 4 pm Writing Community Anthologies, your Marae or family, with Regina de Wolf-Ngarimu, Gillian Moon & Guests Taiki e!

Explore the possibilities of stitching knowledge, history, creativity and diversity together. Harnessing the power of words, builds communities. Walk away with some practical tools to create your project. Q&A. Koha

5.30-8pm Creative Character Development using Dungeons & Dragons Workshop with Kelly Blackwell

HB Williams Memorial Library, Matariki Meeting Room | Entry: Free | Registrations Essential: Email kelly.blackwell@gdc.govt.nz

Storyteller Kelly Blackwell will take your character design concept on an epic writing quest inspired by the popular roleplaying game Dungeons and Dragons!

This guided journey strengthens your connection to your character as you explore motivation, deeper desires and physical attributes. 

Then play it all out using writing prompts and the luck of the dice.

No previous experience required – Bring along your own character concept.

8-10 pm Research at the HB Williams Memorial Library

Step into a night of inspiration, creativity, and focused writing at our exclusive Researching for Writers Lock-In, hosted in collaboration with Ngā Kaituhi Māori. This after-hours event is designed to give writers—emerging and experienced alike—a rare opportunity to immerse themselves in their craft, surrounded by the rich resources of the library and the support of expert reference librarians. 

🔍 What to Expect: 

• A guided session on using the library catalogue
• An inspirational short film screening via Beamafilm
• Quiet, dedicated writing spaces to help you focus
• Access to library staff for research support
• Light refreshments and a welcoming, creative atmosphere

Whether you’re working on a novel, memoir, article, or poetry, this event offers the space, time, and tools to help you dive deep into your writing. Come connect with fellow writers, explore new ideas, and make the most of the library after dark. 

 

Day 6 Wed 15 Oct

9.30 – 10.30 am Flash Fiction Frenzy with Karen Morris Denby at Waikanae Beach

Words In a flash – 100 words – beginning a middle and a twisty end

Waikanae Beach – (Koha – Tai Tech) 8 places available

Join Kazz for a one-hour flash fiction workshop—no writing experience needed! Learn to craft powerful stories in 100 words. Unleash your creativity, find your voice, and leave with your own flash fiction piece. Perfect for beginners and curious minds alike. Let’s write unforgettable stories together and consider pieces to submit for the Writers Festival Ebook. 

10 –11.00 am A Story from Tairāwhiti

HB Williams Memorial Library, Mahutonga Meeting Room | Entry: Free

Join Te Runanga o Tūranganui a Kiwa for a story from Tairāwhiti. 

You’ll hear about the origins of local Māori from Hawaiki to Turanganui a Kiwa and the discovery of kumara and how it was brought to the Tairāwhiti region on the waka Horouta.

Nau mai, haere mai, rarau mai.

11 am Chopper Taiapa, Writer, on his Research and Inspiration for his Graphic Novel Maui-Tikitiki-a-Taranga at Waikanae beach

1 -2.30 pm Poetry film (A visual  presentation of your poetry) workshop with Taranga Kent

Location: H.B. Williams Library, 34 Bright St, Gisborne (Mahutonga Meeting Room)

Add a visual dimension to your words – explore the option of recording your poetry as a presentation of images (think short film/video). Great for sharing your work on social media, websites or Youtube channels, using for marketing your book, or simply as a legacy for your tamariki and mokopuna to cherish.  

Entry: Koha

4 pm Introduction to Self-Publishing & Publishing tools with Draft2Digital, Amazon & IngramSpark, Vellum – Local writers Dorothy Fletcher/Christopher McMaster/R. de Wolf

Have you written your book but can’t find a Publisher? Want to self-publish but don’t know where to start? Look at options with three authors who use self-publishing platforms.

Taiki e! Koha book @ huikaituhi@gmail.com or just come along

6.30 pm Drinks at Siduri Wine Bar & Deli –  Tairāwhiti Writers Host

Want to talk shop about being a writer with like-minded souls? Casual coming together to chat and relax.

7:30 – 9pm SONGWRITER’S CATCH-UP — Free

Facilitated by local songwriters, this is an informal chat about what works for you, what’s your process, resources you love, creative tricks that help you short-cut to the good writing and more. This is a free event but request that you rsvp to community@gizzylocal.com to help us anticipate numbers. Venue: Gizzy Local, 64 Lowe Street. This event is for any accomplished or aspiring songwriters keen to get down in the weeds with other songwriters about the craft of songwriting. 

 

Day 7 Thurs 16 October

2 –3.30 pm

The Story of HB Williams Memorial Library Tours

HB Williams Memorial Library, Bright Street Entrance |Tours Depart at 2.00pm, 2.30pm and 3.00pm | Entry: Free

A unique opportunity to learn the stories behind our landmark community space. 

Renowned for its distinctive architecture and provenance HB Williams Memorial Library holds an exclusive status among public libraries. 

Join one of three 30 minutes tours lead by our knowledgeable library guides, as they step you through the story of HB Williams Memorial Library.

4 – 5.30 pm Ekphrastic Art Exchange – R. de Wolf, Merle Walker, Taranga Kent & friends Taiki e!

(ekphrasis Greek – description or poem of visual art)

An invitation to poets,writers, artists, photographers. Treat your pen to a visual feast. Dip your quill into the creative pool of an artist’s imagination and let your words flow. In the spirit of exchange, writer’s will be inspiring the artists with their spoken words as the artists inspire the pen – paint to ink and ink to paint. Come and have some fun. Max 16 places please register huikaituhi@gmail.com or pm Reg

6.30 pm Fishing Club casual networking dinner – free ticket buy-your-own dinner and drinks rsvp huikaituhi@gmail.com for a relaxed evening with other writers

 

Day 8 Friday 17 October

10 am Bookshop/Library/Editor/Publisher – what we want in a book Taiki e!

11 am Introduction to Journalling & Memoir Gillian Moon Taiki e! tbc

2 pm – 3 pm AI Pros & Cons for creatives – Simeon Alford TaiTech Hub Kaiti

In our ever-changing world of technology and court cases, explore how you can make AI work for you productively, maintain your creative integrity and understand the digital world writers operate in. If you are writing on a computer or self-publishing this session is a must.

Koha entry

Reserve your place at huikaituhi@gmail.com – numbers are limited.

3.30 – 5 pm Found Poetry with Aaron Compton & Rangatahi HB Williams Memorial Library

Local poet, Aaron Compton, will be hosting a one off Found Poetry session for teens.

Found Poetry involves harvesting words from existing texts to create something new. 

A fun opportunity for Rangatahi to learn how to find the poetry hiding in books, newspapers, and screens – all they need to do is get rid of the extra words!

Aaron Compton is a writer and prize-winning fiction editor.  His work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including Kaituhi Rāwhiti: a celebration of East Coast writing, and Mayhem Journal.

5.30-7 pm Ginspiration  (Doors open at 5 pm) – Charlie Holland

Ginspiration: Distilling the senses through poetry and prose.

Join us for an engaging writing workshop where you create tasting notes as poetry and prose, capturing our sensory imaginings and using gin as our muse. 

Number of participants: 12 adults (must be over 18 years old). Gin tastings provided.

Location: Taiki e! 7 Peel Street, Shop 1, Treble Court, Gisborne.

Entry: A plate/bowl of snacks to share.

 

Day 9 Saturday 18 October

9-12 pm

HB Williams Memorial Library is delighted to present a

Self-Publishing Workshop with USA Today Bestselling Author Leeanna Morgan.

Based on the Kapiti Coast Leeanna published her first book in 2014.  Since then all of her books have been self- published and in the past decade Leeanna has been able to generate a six figure annual income from her writing exclusively.  Including a dynamic Q&A session make sure to be there if you are interested in following suit!

12.30 – 1.30 pm Art + Poetry = Fantastic ekphrastic 

Maia Gallery Toihoukura 290 Palmerston Road

Presented by Mikaela Nyman & R. de Wolf

Mikaela Nyman hails from the autonomous, demilitarised Åland Islands and lives in Taranaki. She writes poetry, fiction and non-fiction in Swedish and English. Printmaking is one of her passions. Collaboration across art-disciplines and languages brings her joy. The Anatomy of Sand (THWUP, 2025) is her third poetry collection, and her first in English. In 2024 she was the Robert Burns Fellow. Well known for Sista, Stanap Strong! A Vanuatu Women’s Anthology (anthology) Published by Te Herenga Waka, we are delighted to have Mikaela in Tairāwhiti.

Treat yourself to some visual inspiration at a local art gallery. Look, and look again, then pen your impressions of the art with the help of some practical prompts and guidance. Maybe you’ll discover an unexpected story behind the artwork? This is a fun poetry writing workshop, you don’t need to be an artist or have any formal knowledge of art to participate.

The visual stimulation will take place at Maia Gallery, a centre of artistic creative excellence at Toihoukura. The merging of art and words will be epic!

Number of participants: 15

2 pm – 3 pm Who dunnit? Murder Mystery play Workshop – Dorothy Fletcher

Beetham Lodge, at Beetham Village

The runaway success of Murder Mystery plays screams ‘popular genre’. Local acting troupe, The Usual Suspects, performs on the Steam train and in local theatres. The audience members question the suspects and try to work out who-done-it. Author and scriptwriter Dorothy Fletcher discusses how the plays are written and put on stage, (or train). If you are into interactive theatre, or aspire to craft plays or skits, this could be for you.

Free entry: Koha

DEADLINE: Due 5 pm – Final submissions for Ebook to Regina de Wolf-Ngarimu, Shelley Burne-Field, & Taranga Kent @ ebooksubmissiontai1@gmail.com (opens 9 October 2025)

3 .30 – 4.30 pm Author Development

New Zealand Society of Authors Central District  Branch – Tairāwhiti

Venue Taiki e!

Mikaela Nyman (Board Rep) and local komiti members:

What do you get from an NZSA membership? Members and non-members are welcome.

What is the New Zealand Society of Authors and how can it help you as a writer? Open your world to a wealth of learning, tools, residencies, grant information and competitions. Did you know you receive a professional profile with your membership? Not sure where to find an editor, proofreader or how to get your book ready to print? Come along and talk about books, the industry and professional development.

7 pm Dinner venue tbc (dependent on numbers) – ticketed event with readings from eBook, visitors, guests, public, reserve a ticket at huikaituhi@gmail.com tickets on sale October

Table kōrero, a look at the ebook and just relax with a beverage and a nice meal.

 

Day 10 Sunday 19 October

Gather your writing, thoughts, reflections, plans & contacts and travel home

REGISTRATION LINK HERE

Notes:  Everyone is welcome to stay for another week of writing events – book yourself a writer’s holiday in Gisborne to feed your creative soul!

To register interest in attending or for more information please contact: tekaituhi@nzauthors.org.nz

---

Professional Development for Kaituhi Māori 

We’re drawing from the collective strength and knowledge our community of Māori writers to essentially create a whata for our excellence to sit on.

Ruby Solly (Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Kāti Māmoe) has created a toolkit module for kaituhi Māori; Paula Morris ran a webworkshop on writing first-person.

These sessions will become living artefacts that can feed many generations of writers. 

---

The 2025 Te Kaituhi Māori mentorship and assessment programme recipients 

We are pleased to congratulate the four emerging writers who have each been selected for the Mentor Programme 2025, with a six-month opportunity to work closely with an acclaimed Māori writer as their mentor to hone their tuhituhi ability and, in the process, evolve and refine a work toward a publishable manuscript.

The four mentor and mentees matchings are Hoani Hakaraia with Cassie Hart; Mereana Latimer with Emma Hislop; Tallullah Cardno with Steph Matuku and Tommy de Silva with Cassie Hart.

The two emerging writers selected for the Kupu Kaitiaki Assessment programme for 2025 are Rose Toia and Billy Tangaere, who will receive detailed feedback on their writing and discuss next steps with their manuscript assessor.

Matua Witi Ihimaera DCNZM QSM (Ngāti Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki), NZSA’s Ngā Kaituhi Māori Chair, says “E ngā kaituhi tātou, ngā mihi. It’s always thrilling to read the work of new writers and to trust to your potential, congratulations, mīharo. And I am always grateful to senior writers like Emma Hislop, Cassie Hart and Steph Matuku who have stepped up to provide the important tuakana-teina relationship that lies at the centre of this NZSA-Ngā Kaituhi Māori kaupapa to nurture new literary stars, he ngākau atawhai o koutou. To those who weren’t successful in your applications to the Mentorship and Assessment programmes, keep trying, I was once in your ranks! Kia kaha to all, kia manawanui.“

NZSA Kupu Kaitiaki Programme for Kaituhi Māori   

NZSA Kaituhi Māori Mentorship Programme

The 2025 programme applications closed on April 10. 

 

---

 

---

2024 Events:

Ngā Pae Rewa Pū Kōrero – The Uprising of Storytelling Hui

Labour Weekend October 2024, Te Awhina Marae, Motueka

Fellow Māori writers shared knowledge, connected and uplifted ngā kaituhi Māori. The weekend featured workshops and kōrero with Witi Ihimaera, Hamish Bennett, Mat Tait, Paula Morris, Te Paea Maurirere, Perena Quinlivan, Nuki Takao, Renee Kahukura – Iosefa and others.

Ngā Pae Rewa Pū Kōrero Itinerary

 

---

Tui Tui Tuhituhia (Come together, write)

Ōrongomai Marae, Upper Hutt, 3-5 May 2024

This wānanga follows on from “Tui Tui Tuhituhia (Come together, write),” the first major undertaking by Te Kaituhi Māori was the holding of a wānanga at Ōrongomai Marae, Upper Hutt, 3-5 May. The wānanga attracted Māori literary practitioners to discuss the question: What is the world of Māori writers? Prominent exponents like Patricia Grace, Haare Williams and Witi Ihimaera featured talking about their careers and what it has taken to sustain themselves within the whakapapa of New Zealand literature. The wānanga offered panels discussing such topics as Who are we? What has been our trauma? What do we need to assure our future? Special events acknowledged those Māori writers like Keri Hulme and Renée who have died recently, evening readings programmes, and a “Rangatahi Speak” forum for young writers. 

These wānanga are expected to inaugurate a biennial series. Te Kaituhi Māori’s plans are in place for the Gisborne event to take place in October 2025 (dates to be advised). Poho-o-Rawiri marae will be the major accommodation and lecture/seminar venue but visits to other venues including Rongopai, Waituhi, where workshops on writing in te reo, children’s writing, rangatahi sessions and writing whakapapa are planned. Whereas the two earlier events at Orongomai and Motueka have been wānanga, the Gisborne event is planned as a larger hui over a 3–5-day period coinciding with Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival. 

As well as wānanga and hui, Te Kaituhi Māori will be offering professional development wānanga – both kanohi ki te kanohi, and online. If you wish to register your interest, or have any requests for particular topics, themes, speakers, we welcome your thoughts and feedback. Link to interview about the event

NZSA Kaituhi Māori Mentor Programme

The  Kaituhi Māori Mentor Programme launched in 2024 to give emerging writers who whakapapa Māori the opportunity to work closely with an acclaimed Māori writer as their mentor to hone their tuhituhi ability and, in the process, evolve and refine a work toward a publishable state.

Read about the 2024 recipients

NZSA Kupu Kaitiaki Programme

The aim of this kaupapa is to provide new and emerging kaituhi with valuable feedback from a skilled Kupu Kaitiaki, for the refinement of a part of a manuscript written in te reo Māori. This programme launched in 2024.

Read about the 2024 recipients

CONTACT: tekaituhi@nzauthors.org.nz

---

Join Us 

Come join us on this haerenga! Not an NZSA member or already a regional branch member? Fear not e hoa, you can still join our rōpū! 

To join our rōpū, and/or for pātai and pānui, please do get in touch!

This will enable us to develop a competent inclusive database, we don’t want to miss anybody out. If you are interested in serving on the committee, do let us know. We are looking for a couple more committee members right now and, also, for serving as future committee members. 

We welcome you, and your whakaaro to ensure this space is as valuable and welcoming as it can be for you and kaituhi Māori katoa. 

We are grateful for Matua Witi Ihimaera for helming Te Kaituhi Māori and encouraging our leadership so that we may grow it for our generation. 

We also acknowledge the significant mahi, vision and tautoko of Kim Harris and Michelle Rahurahu.

Ngā mihi nunui ki a ia. 

Mō mātou

Perena Quinlivan

Perena Quinlivan (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi Te Rangi, Waikato-Tainui) is a Tāmaki Makaurau based writer and founder of Te Puna Consulting, which provides business advisory, management consultancy and project management services.

He grew up in Hawkes Bay and graduated from Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Auckland, the University of Sydney, the Australian Graduate School of Management, Te Whare Wananga o Aotearoa, and Te Whare Wananga o Raukawa.  Perena has worked in the private sector and in a variety of senior roles in central and local government.  His fluency in Bahasa Indonesia enabled him to work both as a New Zealand diplomat and a Sydney-based management consultant in the Asia-Pacific region for several years.

Perena is a former recipient of an NZSA mentorship.  His poetry has been published in New Zealand journals. He is also part of the Te Kaituhi Māori branch komiti. Perena is Te Māngai Māori ki te Poari.

---

Paula Morris

Paula Morris MNZM (Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Whātua) is an award-winning novelist, short story writer and essayist. Director of the Master of Creative Writing at the University of Auckland, she is the founder of the Academy of New Zealand Literature; Wharerangi, the Māori literature hub; and the online Aotearoa NZ Review of Books. She edited the 2023 anthology Hiwa: Contemporary Māori Short Stories.

Paula is komiti member of Te Kaituhi Māori.

 

 

---

Witi Ihimaera

Witi Ihimaera (Te Whanau a Kai, Te Aitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading literary practitioners with over 30 creative works including theatrical and film to his credit. He is one of the NZSA’s longest serving members since the 1970s and was Honorary President in 2022-2023. He lives in Auckland.

 

 

 

 

---

Te Po-tahuri-mai-ki-taiao
Ki te Whai ao
Ki te Ao marama
Tihei mauri ora