News in August
The Pikihuia Award finalists have been announced
The finalists for this year’s Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers have been announced. Several familiar names appear on the list, but many new faces also attest to the fact that Māori writers are still very much alive and well.
Categories for 2011 were:
- Best short story written in Māori
- Best short story written in English
- Best novel extract written in English
- Best short film script written in English
- Secondary School Award Category
>> Click here for the full list of finalists in each of these categories.
More than half of the finalists have been previously published, and appear once again on the finalists’ list.
One familiar name that has been selected for both the short story category and the novel extract category is Ann French, who lives in Tauranga. French has been selected as a finalist and published five times in HUIA’s collections of short stories.
When asked what she thought makes a good story, French commented, ‘A good story must have heart and touch the understanding and instincts of the reader. A good story is also about humans and all their fallibilities and strength. I think Māori people have great strength’.
Having been largely recognised as a short fiction writer, French is starting to enjoy the practice of novel writing and stated that, ‘It was the easiest thing to produce 5000 words for a novel because it came straight from the heart. I write from the heart and I write what I feel at the time.’
The Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers, formerly known as the HUIA Short Story Awards, were established in 1995 to identify and promote Māori writers. This has resulted in the publishing of hundreds of stories, including those by many award-winning writers.
For many established Māori writers, these awards are where they started. This year’s winners will be announced at a ceremony on the 27th of August where Huia Short Stories 9 will be launched, featuring the short story and novel extracts finalists.
The Awards are again sponsored by the Māori Literature Trust, Creative NZ, Te Puni Kōkiri, New Zealand Film Commission, Huia Publishers and Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori. The featured artwork for the Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers 2011 was designed by Wiremu Barriball. His artwork will also feature on this year’s book cover.
Te Papa Tupu Writer Incubator Programme
Te Papa Tupu writers at the final hui in Wellington
We have now finished the 2010 Papa Tupu programme, our new writing incubator scheme which enabled six Māori writers to work on their manuscripts (fiction and non-fiction) for six months.
James George facilitates the October workshop in Auckland
Award-winning author James George facilitated the latest writers’ workshop during Labour Weekend in October.
Highly commended entrants from the Papa Tupu competition held earlier in the year were invited to attend the Auckland event.
Writers learned about character construction and development, point of view and voice, narrative design, and plot & structure.
Guest speaker Albert Wendt joined the group on Saturday to share his writing experience.
August Writers’ Workshop
Writers workshop
A mix of non-fiction, fantasy, short-story and novel writers came together at the writers workshop held in Wellington on July 30th to August 1st. The successful three day workshop was facilitated by author, playwright and actor David Geary. Click here to read more about the event.
Another workshop will be held in Auckland later this month. James George will facilitate the weekend workshop with guest speaker Albert Wendt! Watch this space to see how this event went.
About Te Papa Tupu
Te Papa Tupu is a new incubator programme that enlists six writers to work on their manuscript for six months. Fledgling Māori writers were asked to submit an example of writing or a draft manuscript that they would like to work on for the duration of the programme. Seventy eight entries were received in total, out of these six entrants were chosen by award-winning author Patricia Grace and seasoned publishing professional Daisy Coles. Click here to view their feedback about the entries.
Writers started the programme on June 21 and will be finished in the beginning of December. During the incubator programme writers will work at home and submit work on a monthly basis to their mentor who will give advice in relation to their work.
Pikihuia Awards and the MLT Lifetime Contribution Award
Also online is information from last year’s Pikihuia Awards. These awards acknowledge new Māori writers and also those who have made a significant contribution to te reo Māori in literature. Read about Katarina Mataira’s contribution to te reo Māori under Lifetime Contribution Award.
The Māori Literature Trust website and Te Papa Tupu programme were made possible with sponsorship from Te Waka Toi, Te Puni Kōkiri, and help from Huia Publishers.
