Ngā Kupu Ora Māori Book Awards

Christchurch City Libraries lists literary prize winners and links to catalogue searches, but we may not hold copies of all titles mentioned.

The Ngā Kupu Ora Māori Book Awards were established in 2009 by Massey University. They started as a way of marking Māori Language Day, and of recognising and encouraging excellence in Māori writing and publishing.

From 2018 the awards turned their focus to journalism and no longer give awards for books.

See more literary prize winners.

2017

Te Mahi Toi – Art

A Whakapapa of Tradition: One Hundred Years of Ngāti Porou Carving, 1830-1930 Ngarino Ellis, with new photography by Natalie Robertson Winner
Gottfried Lindauer's New Zealand: The Māori Portraits edited by Ngahiraka Mason and Zara Stanhope
A beautiful hesitation Fiona Pardington

Te Kōrero o Mua/Te Haurongo - Biography/History

In Dark Places: The confessions of Teina Pora and an ex-cop's fight for justice Michael Bennett Winner
Māori Television: The First Ten Years Jo Smith

Te Tuhinga Auaha – Creative Writing

Stories on the Four Winds: Ngā Hau e Whā edited by Brian Bargh and Robyn Bargh Winner
Someone's Mana Michael Krzanich, photography; Haare Williams, poetry and art; Witi Ihimaera, editing
Daylight Second Kelly Ana Morey

Te Reo Māori - Māori Language

Te Mauri o Te Whare Agnes McFarland; rāua ko Taiarahia Black Winner
Mauri Ora: Wisdom from the Māori World Peter Alsop and Te Rau Kupenga

Te Kōrero Pono - Non-Fiction

Decolonisation in Aotearoa: Education, research and practice edited by Jessica Hutchings and Jenny Lee-Morgan Winner
Diversity in community: Indigenous scholars writing Edited by Dr Mere Kēpa and Dr Cheryl Stephens.

Non-fiction Politics

New treaty, New Tradition: Reconciling New Zealand and Māori Law Carwyn Jones Winner
Reconciliation, Representation and Indigeneity 'Biculturalism’ in Aotearoa New Zealand edited by Peter Adds [and 3 others]
Tupuna Awa: People and Politics of the Waikato River Marama Muru-Lanning

2016

Te Mahi Toi – Arts

Māori Art: History, Architecture, Landscape and Theory Rangihiroa Panoho Winner
In Pursuit of Venus Lisa Reihana
Toi Awe, Toi Iro, Toi Hanga, Toi Hua Kereti G Rautangata

Te Kōrero o Mua/Te Haurongo - History/Biography

Maiea Te Tupua Tom Roa, Maehe Paki
Te Whiti o Rongomai and the Resistance of Parihaka Danny Keenan Winner

Te Tuhinga Auaha – Creative Writing

Chappy Patricia Grace Winner
Waitapu Helen Margaret Waaka

Te Reo Māori - Māori Language

Māori Made Easy: For Everyday Learners of the Māori Language Scotty Morrison Winner
He Iti Kahurangi Hēni Jacob
Toitū Te Whare Agnes McFarland, Taiarahia Black

Te Kōrero Pono - Non-Fiction

Te Mahi Māra Hua Parakore: A Māori Sovereignty Food Handbook Jessica Hutchings Winner
Wayfinding Leadership: Ground-breaking Wisdom for Developing Leaders Dr Chellie Spiller, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr and John Panoho
Working with Māori children with special education needs Jill Bevan-Brown, Mere Berryman, Huhana Hickey, Sonja Macfarlane, Kirsten Smiler and Tai Walker

2015

Te Mahi Toi – Arts

Te tū hanga whare o Whetū: The rebuilding of Te Whetū o Te Rangi Des Tatana Kahotea (Des Kahotea) Winner
Momo kauae: Moko kauae in contemporary Māori art curated by Tryphena Cracknell (Hastings City Art Gallery)
Five Māori painters Ngahiraka Mason, Jonathan Mane-Wheoki, Anna-Marie White, Nigel Borell, Sarah Hillary and Louise Furey; edited by Clare McIntosh (Auckland Art Gallery)

Te Haurongo - Biography

Te tau ihu o te waka: A history of Māori of Nelson and Marlborough Volume IV: Ngā whānau Rangatira o Ngāti Tama me Te Ātiawa – the chiefly families of Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa Hilary and John Mitchell (Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust and Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Trust) Winner
Parekura Horomia 'Kia ora Chief' Wira Gardiner (Huia Publishers)

Te Tuhinga Auaha – Creative Writing

He Puna Wai Kōrero: an anthology of Māori Poetry in English Robert Sullivan and Reina Whaitiri (Auckland University Press) Winner
Waha - Mouth Hinemoana Baker (Victoria University Press)

Te Kōrero o Mua - History

Tangata Whenua: an illustrated history Atholl Anderson, Judith Binney and Aroha Harris (Bridget Williams Books) Winner
Panguru and the city: Kāinga tahi, Kāinga rua: An urban migration history Melissa Matutina Williams (Bridget Williams Books)

Te Reo Māori – Māori language

The value of the Māori Language: Te Hua o te Reo Māori Rawinia Higgins, Poia Rewi and Vincent Olsen-Reeder (Huia Publishers) Winner
Maranga mai! Te Reo and marae in crisis? Merata Kawharu (Auckland University Press)
Ka hoki tāua ki te whare huri ai ē! Agnes McFarland and Taiarahia Black (NZCER Press)

Te Kōrero Pono – Non-fiction

Marae: te tatau pounamu Muru Walters, Robin Walters and Sam Walters (Random House New Zealand) Winner
Ahuwhenua: celebrating 80 years of Māori farming Danny Keenan (Huia Publishers)
Rauwaru: The proverbial garden Nick Roskruge (Institute of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University)

2014

Te Mahi Toi – Arts

Fred Graham Fred Graham and Maria de Jong (Huia Publishers) Winner
E Kata te rakau Phil Belcher (Hastings City Art Gallery)
Kia Ronaki edited by Rachael Ka’ai-Mahuta, Tania Ka’ai and John Moorfield (Pearson)

Te Haurongo me Te Hītori – Biography and History

Te Paruhi a ngā Takuta Nigel Beckford and Mike Fitzsimons (Fitzbeck Publishing) Winner
Inez Kingi Pihopa Kingi (Pihopa Kingi)
Ukaipo Eria Migoto (MTG Hawkes Bay)

Te Pakimaero – Fiction

Where the Rekohu Bone Sings Tina Makereti (Vintage) Winner
Between the Kindling and the Blaze Benjamin Brown (Anahera Press)
Night Swimming Kiri Piahana-Wong (Anahera Press)

Te Reo Māori – Māori language

He tuhi Marei-Kura Pei Te Hurinui Jones (Aka & Associates)

Te Kōrero Pono – Non-fiction

Living by the moon Wiremu Tawhai (Huia Publishers) Winner
Ara Mai he Tētēkura: Visioning our Futures edited by Paul Whitinui, Marewa Glover and Dan Hikuroa (University of Otago Press)
He Kōrero Anamata: Future Challenges for Māori edited by Selwyn Katene and Malcolm Mulholland (Huia Publishers)
Extinguishing Title Stella Coram (Common Ground Publishing)
The Fourth Eye edited by Brendon Hokowhitu and Vijay Devadas (University of Minnesota)
The spirit of Māori Leadership Selwyn Katene (Huia Publishers)

2013

Biography / Te Haurongo Ka Mau Te Wehi: taking haka to the world: Bub and Nen’s story Haami Bradford
Fiction / Te Pakimaero White lies: Tuakiri Huna Dana Rotberg and Witi Ihimaera
Non-Fiction / Te Kōrero Pono He Puna Iti i te Ao Mārama: a little spring in the world of light Henare Tate
Māori Language / Te Reo Māori He Papakupu Reo Ture: a dictionary of Māori legal terms Mamari Stephens and Mary Boyce
Special Award / Te Tohu o Kupu Ora Maumahara: the memories of Te Onehou Phillis Te Onehou Phillis

2012

Arts, architecture and design / Te Mahi Toi Whatu Kākahu: Māori cloaks Awhina Tamarapa
Fiction / Te Pakimaero Rangatira Paula Morris
History / Te Hītori Matatoa: Fathers and sons Marina Sciascia, Hilary Pedersen and Brian Morris
Non-Fiction / Te Kōrero Pono He kōrero:words between us - First Māori-Pākehā conversations on paper Alison Jones and Kuni Jenkins
Māori Language / Te Reo Māori Mai i te Kākano Hēni Jacob
Lifetime Achievement Award / Te Tohu o Kupu Ora Ngā Waituhi o Rēhua Dame Kāterina Te Heikōkō Mataira