Kōmako: Reclaiming the Māori literary tradition

I’ve discovered a new online tool that I want to tell you about.

Kōmako is an online bibliography of writing by Māori in English, which has grown out of research undertaken by Bridget Underhill at the University of Canterbury. Kōmako lists Māori writing from over the past 180 years, gathers it in one place and makes it publicly accessible. This is extremely helpful for research purposes and gives visibility to some amazing works by both well-known and lesser-known Māori authors.

Kōmako utilizes the wonders of modern technology for the searcher – I can type in my iwi and be returned with a list of available writing on my iwi or I can type in my last name and see a list of my Aunty’s poetry. Anybody accessing this resource can search by author, title or iwi to find fiction, non-fiction or even music by Māori writers to go off and try to find at their local library.

Māori writers are one of my favourite things to talk about and here at Christchurch City Libraries we have a fantastic Ngā Pounamu Māori collection which covers a wide range of topics produced by a variety of sources. While they all have their individual merits Māori authors can give us an insider’s view on Te Ao Māori, which is both valuable and necessary to our understanding of a given topic: we would not ask a lawyer what it’s like to be a doctor, we would ask a doctor. As such the cultural insight provided by the Māori writers listed on Kōmako is a taonga, something to be both cherished and celebrated.

While we’re on the topic, check out some my favourite resources by Māori authors held at Christchurch City Libraries:

• Growing Up Māori edited by Witi Ihimaera
• Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou: Struggle Without End Ranginui Walker
• Small Holes in the Silence Hone Tuwhare
• Tikanga Māori Hirini Moko Mead
• Collected Stories Patricia Grace

Find out more

• UC researchers create bibliography of writing by Māori in English (University of Canterbury press release)
• New Zealand fiction by Māori authors in our catalogue

Stars of storytelling: Te Reo Wainene o Tua

Hei whakanui i Te Wiki o te Reo Māori/ to celebrate Māori Language Week, Christchurch City Libraries teamed up with Te Reo Wainene o Tua to deliver storytelling events across the city.

Te Reo Wainene o Tua are a group of high-profile role models and Māori language advocates who are motivated by desires to revitalise pūrākau and normalise Te Reo Māori. The group travel both nationally and internationally, to deliver the craft of Māori storytelling.

Rāapa – On the third day of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori I had the privilege of experiencing Te Reo Wainene o Tua in action for the first time at Te Kete Wānanga o Wai Mōkihi – South Library. After getting over the initial fangirl moment of course. Tamati Waaka (those of you who follow Te Matatini will know this Te Whānau a Apanui celebrity) captivated the audience, children and adults alike. Among his stories was Te Whatukura o Tangaroa, I have read this many times and yet I have never gained such an understanding of the story as I have now after watching Te Reo Wainene o Tua in action.

Rāpare – On Thursday we had Pāpā Joe Harawira down at Te Kete Wānanga o Karoro – New Brighton Library. Watching this expert at work with our tamariki was an absolute joy. For the second day in a row we had the pleasure of hosting an event inclusive of students from Kura Kaupapa Māori like those in attendance from Te Kura Whakapūmau i te Reo Tūturu ki Waitaha.

Rāmere – Our final day collaborating with Te Reo Wainene o Tua featured Scotty and Stacey Morrison at Ōrauwhata: Bishopdale Library and Community Centre. These high-profile Māori personalities dazzled our youngsters with their waiata, pūrākau and Moana references. As one of the many tamariki who grew up with Stacey Morrison as a role model, speaking at events that I attended when I was young, to watch her continuing to motivate and inspire our tamariki was very special.

Scotty and Stacey Morrison get tamariki moving at Ōrauwhata: Bishopdale Library and Community Centre, Friday 15 September 2017.

The Te Reo Wainene o Tua experience was inspiring to say the least. To see the many random passers-by stop to hear the sounds of Te Reo Māori normalised in our public spaces, sit down with their tamariki and listen was heartening. More than once I was taken back to my childhood listening to my own Pāpā with the smell of fried ham coming from the kitchen and the sound of the waves lapping the shore on Paekakariki beach. They truly represent that Sweet Story of Yester – year. As well as this, they recover that which is lost in translation when Māori stories are translated into English.

Kia ora te Reo Māori!
Let the Māori language live.

Check out some pukapuka by the presenters:

• Te whatukura o Tangaroa – nā Tamati Waaka
• Māori At Home – nā Scotty and Stacey Morrison
• Māori Made Easy – nā Scotty Morrison
• Te Reo Wainene o Tua

Upcoming opportunities for Māori writers and students

Pikihuia Awards

The biennial Pikihuia awards have returned for 2017 bringing with them the chance for fame and cash prizes. Selected winners and finalists will be published in Huia Short Stories 12.

Six categories including:

• Best short story written in English
• Best short story written in te reo Māori
• Best short Film Script
• Best Novel Extract
• Best short story by a school student in English
• Best short story by a school student in te reo Māori

With $2000 up for grabs for the winners of the first four categories and winners of the school student categories are up to win a cash prize of $500 and $250 worth of HUIA books for their school be sure to get your entries in.

Enter online at Huia or The Māori Literature Trust, entries close 5pm Tuesday 18^th April and winners are announced at the awards ceremony in Wellington this September.

Check out some of the books in our collections from past winners:

• Tihema Baker – Watched
• Kelly Ana Morey – Daylight Second
• James George – Ocean Roads
• Tina Makereti – Where The Rekohu Bone Sings
• Paula Morris – Hibiscus Coast
• Briar-Grace Smith – Purapurawhetū

Or try the Huia short stories collections.

Sir Āpirana Ngata Memorial Scholarship

Up to 10 scholarships are on offer at a value of between $1000 and $3000 and are open to all Māori students, in any field, from any iwi. Preference is given to applicants who are descendants of Māori WW1 veterans. Applications close 1^st of May 2017.

The Sir Āpirana Ngata Memorial Scholarship, created by the Māori Soldiers Trust to support higher education amongst Māori, is administered by Te Tumu Paeroa. Funding for the scholarship comes from Hereheretau Station, an investment of the Māori Soldiers Trust Fund set up at the urging of Sir Āpirana Ngata, who was once a recipient of a scholarship himself.

Download an application for the Sir Apirana Ngata Scholarship

Whāia te iti kahurangi ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei.
Pursue excellence – should you stumble, let it be to a lofty mountain.