Te Waka Taki Kōrero – Māori Literature Trust is proud to announce the six winners and nine highly commended writers of the 2025 Pikihuia Awards, celebrating emerging Māori writers in te reo Māori and English, and mid-career Māori writers through the Keri Hulme Award.
Poetry – te reo Māori, judged by Hēmi Kelly
WINNER: Aperahama Te Kapua-I-Waho Hurihanganui (Wairarapa, Te Arawa, Te Tai Rāwhiti) for Te Matatini
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aperahama Te Kapua-I-Waho Hurihanganui (Wairarapa, Te Arawa, Te Tai Rāwhiti) for Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Te Aomihia Kaipara (Ngāti Naho, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe) for Kia ū, kia mau!
Poetry – English, judged by Tayi Tibble
WINNER: Shelley Burne-Field (Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa) for skin
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Marama Salsano (Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Wairere) for Calabashes in my mouth
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Jessica Hinerangi Thompson-Carr (Ngāruahine, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāpuhi) for Tīpuna go fishing to catch another mokopuna
Short Story – te reo Māori, judged by Maiki Sherman
WINNER: Darryn Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rereahu) for Te Hapori Whanokē
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Darryn Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Rereahu) for He Kōrero Parāoa
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Hāwea Apiata (Ngāti Kura, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Toarangatira) for Te Tohunga me te Pirihi
Short Story – English, judged by Carol Hirschfeld
WINNER: Mark Horsefield (Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Rehia) for The Sea Within
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Toni Pivac-Hohaia (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Pūkenga) for Paradise Duck
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Anthony Kohere (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Muaūpoko, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) for L!PSTICK CALLS
Tauira Short Story Award, judged by Mike Ross
WINNER: Tamihana Simmonds (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Huri, Pikitū Marae) for The Price of War
HIGHLY COMMENDED: Sarah Rose Mautoka Wilson (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou) for Twilight’s Wake
Keri Hulme Award, judged by Robyn Bargh and Nic Low on behalf of the Hulme whānau:
WINNER: Becky Manawatu (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Māmoe, Waitaha) for Kataraina
The finalists’ stories and poems are published in Huia Short Stories 16 which was launched at the awards ceremony. Former Pikihuia Awards winner and Te Papa Tupu graduate Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ngā Tokorima a Hinemanuhiri, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri, Rangitāne) also launched his debut te reo Māori novella Te Onehaumako. Both are available now from all good bookstores and at huia.co.nz.
The Pikihuia Awards are made possible through the generous support of our partners and sponsors: Creative New Zealand, Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori, KUPU Māori Writers Festival, Huia Publishers and The Keri Hulme Whānau.
Congratulations to all of our winners, highly commended and finalists! We are thrilled to recognise your contributions to Māori literature and the wider Indigenous literary landscape.
