Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers 2007
Finalists Announced

The Māori Literature Trust and Huia Publishers, have announced the finalists for the Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers 2007. Twenty-five of the stories will go on to be published in two short story collections due out later this year.

The Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers (formerly the E Tuhi! Get Writing Awards) have grown significantly since they first started in 1995, highlighting the success of this literary competition as a platform for emerging Māori writers. Robyn Bargh, Managing Director of Huia Publishers says: ‘I am excited that these Awards have developed into such a high calibre literary competition within the writing community. This is a fantastic platform for the New Zealand voice to be heard internationally.’

Past winners and finalists include Paula Morris, Briar Grace-Smith, James George, Isabel Waiti-Mulholland and Kelly Ana Morey, all of whom have gone on to publish books and receive nominations for a range of prestigious book awards both here and overseas.

The finalists of the novel extract and short story categories will be published in Huia Short Stories 7 and the finalists of the Māori short story category will be printed in Ngā Pakiwaitara a Huia 4. This second collection, entirely in te reo Māori, will also include a selection of Māori language fiction previously published in the Huia Short Stories series.

The judges for this year’s awards were; Kelly Ana Morey (Best novel extract written in English); James George (Best short story written in English); Barry Barclay (Best short film script written in English); Wena Harawira (Best short story written in Māori); Huia Publishers (Best short story written in Māori or English by a secondary school student ).

The launch of the two books and the announcement of the 2007 winners will take place at the Pikihuia Awards ceremony at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in September 2007. The awards ceremony will be the finale of the Festival of Māori Writers 2007 which celebrates Māori literature and will take place in the Wellington region from 10 - 15 September.

The finalists are:

Category 1: Best Short Story in English

Tuna Piata Allen, (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Apa), Auckland
Fly Away Home Arihia Latham-Coates, (Ngāi Tahu), Wellington
Olivia Whiti Hereaka, (Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa), Wellington
Pavement Lunch Sandra Potaka, (Te Arawa), Hastings
Ella Anne French, (Ngāpuhi), Tauranga
Save Point Tama Wise (Ngāpuhi), Auckland
He Karu Pīrakorako Stacey Morgan, (Ngāti Kahungunu), Waipukurau
The Claw Kelly Joseph, (Ngāti Maniapoto), Wellington
Secrets of the Heart Royna Ngahuia Fifield, (Maniapoto, Tūwharetoa), Palmerston North
How it all happens in Meihana Durie, (Rangitāne, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou,
the end Rongowhakaata), Palmerston North
To Rise Up Anahera Gildea, (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga), Wellington
Rust Melanie Drewery, (Ngāti Mahanga), Nelson
Chocolate fish melting Gerry Te Kapa Coates, (Ngāi Tahu), Wellington


Category 2: Best short story in Māori

Te Whānau Pihikete Michael Ross, (Ngāti Haua), Wellington
Te Taiaha a Tama Basil Keane, (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāpuhi, Rangitāne), Porirua
Te wene o ngā wene Joylene Rohe-Karauria, (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine), Hastings
He Rongo Kino Uenuku Fairhall, (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti He), Rotorua
Kia tau Renata Rogers, (Te Arawa, Te Āti Awa), Rotorua
He aha hoki oti i te Kotuku Tibble, (Ngāti Porou), Auckland
ingoa Māori


Category 3: Best short story in Māori or English by a secondary school student

It’s only… Keegan Edwardson (Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-a-Apanui), Kawerau
My Dad Toni-Lee Hawira (Ngāti Pukenga, Te atihaunui-a-Pāpārangi), Tauranga.
Montell’s History Lesson Charlizza Harris (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa), Napier
Out of Key John Boynton, (Tuhoe), Auckland
Lullaby Danielle Cavey, (Ngāti Porou), Makarewa
Two Soldiers Tihema Baker, (Ngāti Raukawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Toa), Otaki
Tipua Kahurangi Coleman, (Ngāti Porou), Tolaga Bay
Te Takurua Tuatahi Te Aumihi Macpherson, (Ngāti Whakāue), Rotorua
Te Aopuangiangi rāua Hine Te Ariki Parata-Walker, (Ngāti Porou), Tolaga Bay
ko Mahuika
Te Mataku Vivien White, (Ngāti Porou), Tolaga Bay
Tōku Pāpā Te Teira Maxwell, (Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa), Rotorua


Category 4: Best short film script written in English

Road Warrior Ranui Taiapa, (Ngāti Porou), Wellington
Peace Fool Evajane Suter, (Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Mutunga), Manaia
Remote Mahinaarangi Ann Leong, (Te Whakatōhea, Te Whānau-a- Apanui), New Plymouth
Breakfast Leonie Reynolds, (Ngāti Te Ata), Wellington
Warbrick Meihana and Pere Durie, (Rangitāne, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Kauwhata), Palmerston North


Category 5: Best novel extract written in English

Mōrehu Anahera Gildea, (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga), Wellington
Ani May Tina Nixon, (Ngāi Tahu), Wellington
Whiti te rā Jenny Brinsley, (Ngāpuhi), Lower Hutt
Sex and Celibacy Diane Sharma Winter, (Ngāti Awa), Whakatane
The Īnanga Pendant Trish Fong, (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou), Gisborne
Rise and Shine Paul Gilbert, (Ngāi Tahu), Hamilton


The Māori Literature Trust would like to acknowledge the support of their sponsors:

Huia Publishers
Creative New Zealand-Te Waka Toi
Te Puni Kokiri
Toi Māori Aotearoa
Astra Print
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

For more information, contact Huia Publishers on 04 473 9262 or email mailto:awards@huia.co.nz.