The Value of the Māori Language: Te Hua o Te Reo Māori, edited by Professor Rawinia Higgins, Victoria teaching fellow Vincent Olsen Reeder and University of Otago’s Associate Professor Poia Rewi, draws on research from more than 30 contributors.
With chapters in Māori and English, the book explores recent actions taken to restore the Māori language and challenges ideas about where language revitalisation must head to ensure the language is normalised in our society.
Vincent says the awards are a way of recognising that great scholarship exists among Māori.
“It’s not about the winning, but the coming together to celebrate the stories Māori have to tell, and the stories about us.”
Massey University’s inaugural Ngā Kupu Ora Māori Book Awards were held in 2009 to mark Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori and to celebrate and encourage excellence in Māori literature and publishing.
One of the competition judges, Sheeanda Field—Massey University Library Kaihautū Māori (Māori Services Manager), says it’s vital we encourage Māori authors. “It’s Māori writing about Māori, in a Māori way and with a Māori voice, that’s really important.”