Books of mana: 10 essential reads for Waitangi Day

Written by The Conversation

In the 185 years since te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed between Māori rangatira and the British Crown, Māori have been writing about its meaning, sharing their stories and seeking justice.

For some years, we have been reading and thinking about this mass of written work by Māori. While we know and love these titles, we were aware many New Zealanders have little idea that Māori scholarship stretches back to the earliest books published in this country.

So, in 2018 we collaborated with Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (the Māori Centre of Research Excellence) and Te Apārangi Royal Society of New Zealand to curate a list of Māori non-fiction publications. Our list formed the inspiration for Books of Mana: 180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance, published this week by Otago University Press.

Co-edited with Jeanette Wikaira, and featuring short essays by leading Māori writers about their relationship to books, mātauranga Māori and the written word, it showcases 180 Māori-authored books published between 1815 and 2022. For generations our ancestors created sense, meaning, stories and histories from the mountains, rivers and coastlines, and recited generations of history and knowledge through whakapapa, karanga, whaikōrero, mōteatea and pūrākau. With the arrival of Europeans in the late 18th-century, Māori adopted new tools for recording and passing on knowledge. Pen and paper were rapidly added to the kete and used to weave stories, to engage in creative expression, and as a way to connect and resist. Much of this writing holds prestige, authority, power, influence, status and even charisma. The word that we think best describes these books is mana. We encourage all New Zealanders to know more about these remarkable books. At a time when Māori language, culture, identity and te Tiriti are politically threatened, Māori writing is essential for anyone serious about understanding the past, present and future of Aotearoa New Zealand from a Māori perspective. This Waitangi Day, consider reading any one of these 180 books. But to help make the selection even easier, here are ten that are accessible in bookstores or local libraries. These titles address language revitalisation, leadership, politics and history. They are also relevant to the world we find ourselves in today. Ngā Pepa a Ranginui, The Walker Papers – Ranginui Walker

To understand contemporary political debates it is worth looking to the past. Ranginui Walker was one of New Zealand’s leading intellectuals. His collection of opinion pieces, originally published in the Listener magazine between 1973 and 1990, are collated in Ngā Pepa a Ranginui, The Walker Papers. All of these opinion pieces remain relevant today. As a communicator between the worldviews of Māori and Pākehā, the range of topics he wrote about was extraordinary, from fishing rights, to Māori ideas about health, to critiques of government policies. Tōku Reo, Tōku Ohooho – Chris Winitana Ranginui Walker said te reo Māori is a taonga. In Tōku Reo Tōku Ohooho, Chris Winitana tells the story of the people who fought for its retention and revitalisation from the 1970s – and why this kaupapa remains so vitally important today. The book is available either in English or te reo Māori and will be of interest to many as we strive to keep te reo Māori alive. Huia Histories of Māori: Ngā Tāhuhu Kōrero – Danny Keenan A stellar lineup of Māori writers will help deepen your knowledge of custom, the natural world, language, health, politics and cultural expression in editor Danny Keenan’s recently republished book Huia Histories of Māori. It covers a vast array of topics, from waka migration traditions, to the introduction of Christianity, to the New Zealand Wars and much more. Navigating the Stars: Maori Creation Myths – Witi Ihimaera

In Navigating the Stars: Māori creation myths Witi Ihimaera shows how we have always been storytellers, intellectuals and knowledge makers. Pūrākau (legends) are retold for the 21st-century by this pioneer of the Māori novel and short story. We are in awe of the way the author honours this storytelling tradition and strengthens it for the future. This is a big book that starts our national history with Māori creation narratives, and challenges us to think differently about our past. Te Kōparapara: An introduction to the Māori world – Michael Reilly & others If you are looking to build your knowledge of te ao Māori (the Māori world), but don’t know where to begin, we recommend Te Kōparapara. It’s a really accessible introduction to Māori culture, tikanga, history and contemporary society. Wayfinding Leadership – Chellie Spiller, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr & John Panoho Our tūpuna (ancestors) guide us into the future. Chellie Spiller, Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr and John Panoho look to waka navigators in Wayfinding Leadership. It’s part practical guide about how to lead for the collective good, but also part introduction to Māori philosophy. And it’s all cleverly told through the boldness, radical vision and skill of those who laid the foundations for Māori to flourish in these islands. Imagining Decolonisation – Bianca Elkington, Moana Jackson & others

The bestselling Imagining Decolonisation explains what decolonisation looks like for Māori and Pākehā in an accessible way, and sets out what is required for our country to become a just society. A particular highlight is the contribution of the late Moana Jackson. A lawyer who was passionate about the transformative possibilities of te Tiriti for Aotearoa, his writings about justice reform and constitutional change will continue to shape generations to come. A Fire in the Belly of Hineāmaru – Melinda Webber & Te Kapua O'Connor A Fire in the Belly of Hineāmaru: A collection of narratives about Te Tai Tokerau, translated into te reo Māori by Quinton Hita, is an invitation into Te Tai Tokerau histories, lands and esteemed ancestors, told through the lives of peacemakers, strategists, explorers and entrepreneurs (available in both English and te reo Māori editions). Mokorua – Ariana Tikao Mokorua is an inspiring account of the author “re-indigenising” through receiving her moko kauae. We love how she weaves that story into a personal reclaiming of language and identity. Matt Calman’s photographs are particularly striking, too. From the Centre: A writer’s life – Patricia Grace

A favourite book is From the Centre: a writer’s life, an uplifting memoir by one of our most gifted fiction writers. It stresses the power of reading for cultivating imagination, anchoring identity and deepening a sense of belonging. We treasured reading about Grace’s life growing up, how she responded to instances of injustice and unfairness, and how she had the courage to write about everyday Māori families. The gentle weight of this beautiful work, in both a physical and emotional sense, will live with us for a long time. These books enrich our scholarship and our everyday life. We hope you take some time this Waitangi week to engage with Māori writing, and that you come to love these taonga as much as we do.

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