Māori Literature Trust

E tuhi, taki mai i te ao
Māori ki te ao whānui

Taking Māori voices to the world

Established

Stories Published

Writers Published

Programmes Delivered

Taking Māori voices to the world

In 2000, we established this charitable trust to deliver programmes that promote and foster Māori literature and its place in the literature of the nation. Guided by our own cultural values, we seek to grow Māori writers’ skills, confidence and opportunity. We encourage Māori writers to stand tall as Māori and to support each other and become a strong force within the literary community of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Māori Books 2023-2024

We are thrilled to launch our first ever Matariki series: Pukapuka Māori o te tau!

As the close of te tau Māori approached, we put a call out to our community to collect the titles of as many Māori books published since the rise of Matariki in 2023. Our call was answered with an incredible 55 titles gathered in this series, showing the vitality and diversity of the landscape of Māori Literature.

This Māori-Made series is the only guide you’ll need to help choose a new pukapuka to read over the Matariki period. Check out the full catalogue below, or download our PDF.

We are so proud of all of our kaituhi Māori for bringing these incredible pukapuka into te ao Mārama. We look forward to celebrating and gathering even more Māori books in the coming year.

Manawatia ngā kaituhi Māori! Manawatia a Matariki!

Finalists Announced

We are thrilled to announce the six kaituhi Māori who have been selected to take part in our renowned Te Papa Tupu Programme for 2024!

A huge congratulations to the following writers who will undertake the incubator programme, under the guidance of a mentor, to develop their manuscripts:

Taryn Baker (Ngāti Tamaoho, Tainui)
The Diary of Ahurewa

Claire Dunning (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa)
Corangelus

Steph Julian (Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga)
Penny Pounamu and the Disappearing Tigers

Anthony Pita (Ngātiwai, Ngāti Ranginui)
fake stars never flicker

Te Kahu Rolleston (Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whānau Apanui, Te Arawa)
Te Mānuka

Toni Wi (Ngāti Maniapoto)
House of Bone

We look forward to sharing more as Te Papa Tupu 2024 gets underway, and we are very excited for all of our supporters to get to know this fantastic cohort of kaituhi Māori. E tuhi, taki mai i te ao Māori ki te ao whānui!

Class of 2024

Taryn Baker

Ngāti Tamaoho, Tainui

Claire Dunning

Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa

Steph Julian

Ngāti Porou ki Harataunga

Anthony Pita

Ngātiwai, Ngāti Ranginui

Te Kahu Rolleston

Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whānau Apanui, Te Arawa

Toni Wi

Ngāti Maniapoto

OUR VALUES

Ngā Uaratanga

Tikanga Māori

We are always guided by our own cultural values, tikanga Māori and mātauranga Māori. We are open to new ideas and innovation – building on the traditions of our tūpuna.

Tū Mai

We encourage Māori writers to stand tall as Māori. We acknowledge that it takes courage to share a story.
We stand beside and advocate for Māori writers.

Whakawhanaungatanga

We create opportunities to strengthen the collective of Māori writers and we nurture relationships with collaborators to build impact.

Whakatupu

We seek to grow Māori writers’ skills, confidence and opportunities. We actively promote Māori writers.

Tino Rangatiratanga

We seek independence and freedom to amplify Māori voices.

Our Mission
and Vision

Mission

We foster and promote Māori writers

Vision

E tuhi, taki mai i te ao Māori ki te ao whānui
Taking Māori voices to the world

Recent Books

A selection of books written by Māori authors who have participated in our Te Papa Tupu writers incubator and the finalists from the 2021 Pikihuia Short Story competition.