The Māori Literature Trust
Kia ora and welcome to the Māori Literature Trust.
The Māori Literature Trust was established in 2000 to promote and foster the development of Māori literature.
The Trust comprises members from the arts and commercial communities and its primary responsibilities are to oversee the organisation of the Māori writer incubator programme Te Papa Tupu and the awards for Māori writers currently known as the Pikihuia Awards.
Kia Ora
I wish to enter the Competition for short stories, but I am lost because my story is already 23000 plus words so I can not enter a short story and its not really a novel? Or is it? Pls advise me what category I will enter?
Kia ora William,
You can enter your story into the novel category with either 3 chapters or 3000-4000 words.
Ngā mihi,
Te Waka Taki Kōrero
E kare, tirohia ngā ture, ka mutu, ka whakahāngai ai ki ngā paearu. Look at the rules and make adjustment to fit the criteria. Me pehea kē atu?
I was wondering when do the entries for the Pikihuia 2017 awards start and when do entries have to be in by?
Kia ora Parawai
Entries will open early next year. If you check back here in early February there will be more information available.
Ngā mihi
Te Waka Taki Kōrero
Hi,
Is there a date yet? And when will this be available to sumit?
Kia-ora.
Kia ora Zeb,
The competition is open for submissions.
See link for competition details and dates. https://mlt.org.nz/the-pikihuia-awards/pikihuia-awards-2017/
Ngā mihi,
Kia ora,
I see the application time has now closed for 2016. Is there any possibility of late application? If not, when do the 2018 applications open?
thank you
LJ
Kia ora LJ
Arohamai for the late response. We are still determining whether there will be a 2018 incubator – but if there is the call for submissions will be in February of 2018. There is also the Pikihuia Awards which is a Māori writers competition which is held in 2017 and the call for entries will be in February of 2017. If you like I can add you to our distribution list so that you receive emails about upcoming events?
Ngā mihi
Jd Nodder
Kia ora,
My non-fiction manuscript is NOT complete. That is the major part of my problem – it keeps growing. It comes out of some years of research. I thought it might be more manageable to break it into three sections – but still – I desperately need .mentoring. Might this programme have a place for me? Might one section be acceptable?
Is it possible to apply for the Incubator programme in the 2016 year, but if successful, start with being mentored in 2017? I couldn’t find anything in the conditions of entry that stipulated the mentee must start the programme in the same year. I am only asking this because the next 6 months are tied up with academic research, but the start of 2017 looks good. If this is not possible, I shall defer from applying this year.
Kia ora
Thank you for getting in touch – and pointing out this missing information in the conditions of entry. If an entrant is successful they need to participate in the incubator during 2016. This is because the incubator is also a communal process where there is ongoing support and communication between participants, as well as with the mentors, and writing workshops that are held throughout the incubator.
All the best for your academic research – and keep an eye out for Te Papa Tupu in 2018.
Ngā mihi
Jd
Kia Ora JD. Thanks for clarifying, and from what you are saying it seems that the the programme is 2-yearly? Not available next year? That will give me a target to work towards. Na Mihi, Merryn
Mōrena Merryn, that is correct. We run Te Papa Tupu every ‘even’ year and then the Pikihuia Māori Writers’ Competition is on the ‘odd’ year.
Ngā mihi
Jd
Kia ora
Does the recipient receive financial support to enable them to write full time for the 6 months along with the mentoring etc? Will this be available annually ongoing? Nga mihi
Kia ora Ema
The recipients will receive a financial allowance based on the completion of milestones set by the mentee and mentor. And the financial support is only for the 6 month duration of the incubator. I hope that answers your questions. Feel free to email us at tepapatupu@huia.co.nz if not.
Ngā mihi
Jd
How much time and commitment is required from the writer?
Kia ora Toni
Thanks for getting in touch. The incubator is run for 6 months and is a ‘full-time’ commitment. The end goal is to have a manuscript that you have worked on throughout the 6 month period that is good enough to be published. You and your mentor will work together to determine milestones and deadlines in order to reach this end goal. In the last incubator, some of the participants continued to work full-time and used their down-time to write and complete the tasks set to them by the mentor. Others took a little bit of time off work – i.e. reduced their hours – in order to focus a bit more time on their manuscripts. You will receive an allowance to alleviate any financial worries, and these will be paid when you have met specific milestones as set by yourself and your mentor. It’s really about finding what works best for you.
Ngā mihi
Jd
Kia ora, I have a young 13 year old daughter who has strengths and interest in writing. She has been writing away at a story (fiction) for the last 18 months. I think it is quite good…. but I am her Dad ! What opportunity is there to foster her passion for writing ?
Nega Mihi
Wayne
Kia ora Wayne
What great news that your daughter is a keen writer! It’s always good to see young people getting involved in writing. I’ve had a bit of a look for you and Storylines run workshops for children, there is also a company called Brain Bunny, and you could look at the Auckland Writers’ Festival – they often run seminars and workshops.
Good luck.
Ngā mihi
Jd
Does the author retain complete ownership of works submitted?
Kia ora Ariki
When you submit your work you retain ownership of the works. If your work is successful and you work over the manuscript with the mentor through the Te Papa Tupu incubator, Huia will have first right of refusal of your work.
Ngā mihi
Jd
Kia Ora. I was wondering about how we submit our pieces.
would you possibly know how we do this?
Tēnā koe Liam
Thank you for your interest in the Pikihuia Awards. You can find details on how to enter here https://mlt.org.nz/the-pikihuia-awards-2015/online-entry-form-2015/
If you have any more queries please feel free to contact us. We look forward to receiving your entry.
Ngā mihi
The Pikihuia team
Kia Ora, just wondering if you can be living outside of New Zealand to enter into this competition?
I’ve been living in Australia since 2012, still consider myself a Kiwi, born and bred, but such is life, the mahi is here is Aussie.
My story is based in NZ so as such probably won’t find too much favour with the Australian general public or judges.
If you can advise me on this that would be great.
Cheers
Megan Wilson.
Tēnā koe Megan
Thanks for getting in touch! You can absolutely enter the competition if you’re living out of New Zealand. Our only criteria is that you are Māori.
We look forward to receiving your entry.
Ngā mihi
The Pikihuia Team
Tumeke! That’s great news
Thank you very much.
Kind regards
Megan 😊
Fantastic. I really appreciate this opportunity, Huia. It helps me to renew my focus at the beginning of winters.