2017 Pikihuia Awards Winners announced

12 September 2017

2017 Pikihuia Awards Winners announced

The winners for the 2017 Pikihuia Awards for Maori Writers were announced Saturday afternoon at Te Wharewaka o Poneke in Wellington.

The 2017 Pikihuia winners and authors (pictured) whose stories are included in HUIA Short Stories 12.

This year the Pikihuia Awards received over 130 entries and judge Whiti Hereaka was appreciative of the large number of writers contributing their stories.

‘Storytelling in all its forms is an intimate exchange between the author and the audience – the author makes themselves vulnerable, exposing their humanity to make a connection between their words and the audience. Sharing your work is often a difficult thing to do, so I’d like to acknowledge all the writers that have chosen to do so’ said Whiti.

Fellow judge Robyn Bargh was pleased to see the tradition of Māori writers in families strengthening.

‘These awards have been held every two years since 1993 and I continue to be amazed at the numbers and range of Māori people who are writing. You may be interested to know that several of the students who are finalists are second or third generation writers, ie, they have a parent and/or grandparent who is a published writer. So, we are now seeing intergenerational Māori writers’ said Robyn.

Stories from selected finalists feature in the latest short story book HUIA Short Stories 12 which was also launched at the 2017 Pikihuia Awards.

The winners and runners-up for each of the six categories are as follows:

Best Short Story written in English, judged by Whiti Hereaka
Winner: A Portrait of Sandra Dee by Lauren Keenan, (Te Ātiawa) Wellington

Runners-up:
The Manu, the Coffin and the Old School by Pere Durie, (Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa, Kāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) Papamoa
In the Shadow of Monte Cassino by Lauren Keenan, (Te Ātiawa) Wellington

Best Short Story written in in te reo Māori, judged by Poia Rewi
Winner: Kaitiaki by Zeb Nicklin, (Pāhauwera, Tāmanuhiri, Tūhoe, Rangitāne) Palmerston North

Runners-up:
Rākei me te Taraute Nui by Iraia Bailey, (Tūwharetoa) Tūrangi
Tūātea by Genesis Te Kuru White (Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe) Whakatāne

Best Novel Extract, judged by Paula Morris
Winner: The Crystal Cave by Steph Matuku (Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa) New Plymouth

Runners-up:
Till We Kissed by Olivia Aroha Giles (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa) Otaki
Obsidian Dream by Kelly Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto) Hokitika

Best Film Script, judged by Julian Arahanga
Winner: Clenched by Aroha Awarau (Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Porou) Auckland

Runners-up:
Hawaiki by Nathaniel Hinde (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe) Wellington
Te Mura ō te Ahi by Pere Durie (Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa, Kāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) Papamoa

Best Short Story Written by a School Student in te reo Māori, judged by Kawata Teepa
Winner: Haututu by Tahu Potiki Te Maro-Doran, Otaki College (Ngāti Porou) Wellington

Runners-up:
Te Mate ō te Pūreitanga by Anipātene Biddle, Te Kura o te Koutu (Te Arawa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Raukawa) Rotorua
Pi... Pi... Pi... by Katarina Havekamp, Te Kura ō te Koutu (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Tama) Rotorua

Best Short Story Written by a School Student in English, judged by Robyn and Brian Bargh
Winner: The Couple by Nikau Wi Neera, Kapiti College (Ngāti Toa Rangatira) Wellington

Runners-up:
The Final Cut by Lucy Matehaere, Otago Girls’ College (Ngāti Raukawa ki Waikato) Dunedin
Long Journey Home by Maia Kirikiri, Queen Margaret College, Wellington