There will be no Maori Language Award given this year in the New Zealand Post Book Awards as there were no books submitted into that category; a sign, says Te Reo advisor and Awards’ judge, Paul Diamond that there are still very few books being written or published for adults in Maori.

There will be no Maori Language Award given this year in the New Zealand Post Book Awards as there were no books submitted into that category; a sign, says Te Reo advisor and Awards’ judge, Paul Diamond that there are still very few books being written or published for adults in Maori.

Mr Diamond further commented that while it was disappointing there were no submissions this year, he knows of ground-breaking works currently in production that, given the research and expertise involved, have a long gestation period.

‘There are clear signs that writing in Te Reo Maori is flourishing in other areas, especially writing for film, television and publishing on the web. The Maori Language Award aims to foster and celebrate books in Te Reo and to show publishers that there is support for them.

‘I anticipate the market for books written in Te Reo for adults will grow exponentially with the next generation of fluent Te Reo speakers.

‘My vision for the future is to see Te Reo fiction in every bookshop in the country. Let’s see Te Reo ‘chick-lit’, Te Reo mystery series’ and thrillers. It would be great to also see Te Reo cookbooks, histories, biographies and more.’

A Maori Language Award was presented for the first time in 2008 to editors Piripi Walker and Huriana Raven for their book Te Tu a Te Toka: He Ieretanga no nga Tai e Wha. In 2009 He Pataka Kupu - te kai a te rangatira, the first-ever dictionary written entirely in Te Reo Maori was honoured with the award.

This year the monetary prize for the Maori Language Award winner doubled in value to $10,000.

The Category Award winners, People’s Choice Award and the overall New Zealand Post Book of the Year will be announced at a gala dinner held in Auckland’s Langham Hotel on 27 August 2010.

New Zealand Post Group’s sponsorship of the country’s national book awards is symbolic of their strong and active support of the country’s literature. As sponsor of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards for 15 years, this new sponsorship highlights the company’s commitment to promoting literary excellence. Working closely with Booksellers NZ, New Zealand Post and other dedicated segments of the community actively encourage New Zealanders to read and enjoy books.

The New Zealand Post Book Awards 2010 are also funded by Creative New Zealand.  The Awards are managed by Booksellers NZ and supported by the New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens (NZ) Ltd.

Kore tohu Maori i Nga Tohu Pukapuka a-Motu

Kaore he Tohu reo Maori mo tenei tau – i Nga Tohu Pukapuka a-Motu- na te mea kihai he pukapuka i tukuna mo taua wahanga;  e ai ki a Paul Diamond, kaiwhakawa  kaitohutohu Maori mo te tohu, kei te ruarua tonu nga pukapuka e tuhia ana, e taia ana ranei, ma te hunga pakeke i roto i te reo Maori.

Hei ta Paul Diamond ano, ahakoa he mea pouri te kore pukapuka i te tau nei, ki tana mohio kei te haere i naianei etahi tino mahi tuhi, heoi na te rahi o te rangahau me te waihanga, he roa te wa e whakato ana.

‘Kei te ora te reo i etahi atu wahi, pera i te tuhi kiriata, te tuhi mo te pouaka whakaata me te ipurangi. Ko tetahi o nga whainga a Te Tohu Reo Maori, he atawhai, he whakanui i nga pukapuka kei roto i te reo Maori, a, he whakahau i nga kaiwhakata kei te tautokona ratou. 

‘Ko taku mahara, ka tipu ake nga pukapuka reo Maori ma te pakeke, i te reanga e heke matatau mai nei  i te reo.

‘Ka taku e wawata ai mo amua, kia tau ki roto i nga  wharehoko pukapuka katoa o te motu, nga pakiwaitara reo Maori. Kia kite tatou i roto i te reo nga mea ‘paki wahine’, nga korero muna me te whakaihihi.  Ka pai hoki ki te kitea nga pukapuka taka kai, nga hitori, me nga korero koioranga, me etahi atu ano.

Ko te tau 2008 te wa tuatahi i tukuna he Tohu Reo Maori ki nga etita a Piripi Walker raua ko Huriana Raven mo ta raua pukapuka Te Tu a Te Toka: He Ieretanga no nga Tai e Wha. I riro te tohu i te tau 2009, i a He Pataka Kupu – te kai a te rangatira, he pukapuka taki kupu i roto katoa i te reo Maori .

I te tau nei, i piki tuarua te utu o Te Tohu Reo Maori ki te $10,000.

Ka panuitia nga toa mo Te Tohu o te Wahanga, Te Tohu a Te Iwi  me te Pukapuka a New Zealand Post mo Te Tau ki te hakari nui ka pupuritia i te h?tera Langham a te 27 Akuhata 2010.

Kitea ai i nga tohu pukapuka a-motu nei, te kaha tautoko a te Huinga o New Zealand Post i nga tuhinga o te whenua. Kua 15 tau i naianei a New Zealand Post e tautoko ana i nga Tohu Pukapuka ma nga Tamariki, a, na tenei kaupapa hou ka kitea ano  te ngakaunui o te kamupene ki te awhi i  te putanga ake o te tuhi rangatira. Ma te mahitahi me Booksellers NZ, whakahau ai a New Zealand Post me era wahanga piripono o te iwi, i te katoa o te motu kia panui, kia harikoa te korero pukapuka. He awhina ano ta Creative NZ i te tahua mo Nga Tohu Pukapuka a New Zealand Post. Whakahaerea ai nga tohu e Booksellers NZ, tautokona ai  e te New Zealand Society of Authors and Book Tokens.

Paul Diamond (Ngati Haua, Te Rarawa and Ngapuhi) is a writer, historian and broadcaster. After working as an accountant for seven years, he switched to journalism in 1997.  Paul's journalism has been recognised with Qantas Media Awards, Peace Awards and a David Low Chevening Fellowship to Oxford University.  His first book, A Fire in Your Belly, a collection of interviews with Maori leaders, was published by Huia in 2003.  His second book, an illustrated biography of Makereti (1873-1930), Makereti: taking Maori to the World was published by Random House NZ in 2007.  Paul also contributed an essay to Sexuality and the stories of Indigenous People, published by Huia in 2007.  From 2007 to 2009 Paul managed the Vietnam War Oral History Project for the Ministry for Culture and Heritage.