Te Ao Māori

Q&A: Linda Tuhiwai Smith on the Whatumanawa Collection

Linda Tuhiwai Smith is renowned in her field – indigenous education – and now has authored a series of picture books dealing with social issues, the Whatumanawa collection, available in both te reo Māori and reo Pākehā. They are serious,…

The Reckoning: Decolonising pukapuka on Te Tiriti, Part 2 of 2

Following Part 1 of the discussion about the lack of children’s picture books focused on Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Barry McLernon (Te Āti Awa & Pākehā Scottish, Dutch ancestry) and Kay Benseman (Pākehā German, Irish, Scottish, Spanish, English ancestry) kōrero…

The Reckoning: Decolonising pukapuka on Te Tiriti, Part 1 of 2

In the first of a two-part series with Kay Benseman (Pākehā German, Irish, Scottish, Spanish, English ancestry) and Barry McLernon (Te Āti Awa & Pākehā Scottish, Dutch ancestry) about Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Kay shares her thoughts about the lack…

Reviews: Two te ao Māori Books

Briar Lawry reviews two pukapuka inspired by pūrākau Māori—featuring a retelling of the separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku and an action-packed adventure set in a post-apocalyptic world. Stories inspired by pūrākau Māori are nothing new—it’s a growing and evolving space…

Robyn Kahukiwa: Artist, Writer, Illustrator

Robyn Kahukiwa is one of the legends of New Zealand Picture Book illustration. She recently published Ngā Atua: Māori Gods (Oratia Books) and The Boy and his Dolphin (Little Island Press). We got Kelly Ana Morey to profile Kahukiwa and…