2017 Pikihuia Awards finalists announced

8 August 2017

2017 Pikihuia Awards finalists announced

After much anticipation, the finalists for the 2017 Pikihuia Awards for Māori Writers have been announced.

Over 130 entries were received from around Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas and the judges have whittled the number down to 24 finalists.

Writer Whiti Hereaka judged the Best Short Story written in English and was impressed with the standard of writing. ‘It was a pleasure to judge this year's Pikihuia Award for Short Stories in English’ she said. ‘I was impressed by the diversity of the stories, reflecting the many experiences of being Māori in our society. The stand out stories for me subverted my expectations: unexpected points of view, or twists on familiar story lines.’

For Poia Rewi, the judge of the Best Short Story written in Māori, the expansive nature of the stories along with the authors' language proficiency was striking. ‘From the interpretation of dreams to earthquake experiences, rugby world cup to rugby on the marae ātea, Iron Māori to Māori emigration and repatriation, boarding school and disobedience to mythical kaitiaki, there is diversity and creativity across the board’ he said. ‘The level of Māori Language proficiency is admirable and likewise, the application of dialect, synonym and metaphor are also worth noting – we compliment the authors, their whānau and their teachers, and Huia for affording the opportunity to writers to engage their literary potential.’

The 22 finalists are:

Best Short Story written in English, judged by Whiti Hereaka

• Pere Durie - The Manu, the Coffin and the Old School, (Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa, Kāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) Papamoa

• Lauren Keenan - A Portrait of Sandra Dee, (Te Ātiawa) Wellington

• Lauren Keenan - In the Shadow of Monte Cassino, (Te Ātiawa) Wellington

Best Short Story written in te reo Māori, judged by Poia Rewi

• Iraia Bailey - Rākei me te Taraute Nui, (Tūwharetoa) Tūrangi

• Zeb Nicklin - Kaitiaki, (Pāhauwera, Tāmanuhiri, Tūhoe, Rangitāne) Palmerston North

• Genesis Te Kuru White - Tūātea (Ngāti Pūkeko, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tūhoe) Whakatāne

Best Film Script, judged by Julian Arahanga

• Aroha Awarau - Clenched (Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Porou) Auckland

• Pere Durie - Te Mura o te Ahi (Ngāti Kauwhata, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa, Kāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) Papamoa

• Nathaniel Hinde - Hawaiki (Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga, Ngāti Porou, Tūhoe) Wellington

Best Novel Extract, judged by Paula Morris

• Olivia Aroha Giles - Till We Kissed (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Raukawa) Otaki

• Kelly Joseph - Obsidian Dream (Ngāti Maniapoto) Hokitika

• Steph Matuku - The Crystal Cave (Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa) New Plymouth

Best Short Story Written by a School Student in English, judged by Robyn and Brian Bargh

• Te Raina Durie, Tauranga Girls College - Boys-In-Arms (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungungu) Tauranga

• Rosa Hibbert-Schooner, Middleton Grange School - The Many Stories of my Koro (Te Arawa) Christchurch

• Lucy Matehaere, Otago Girls’ College - The Final Cut (Ngāti Raukawa ki Waikato) Dunedin

• Maia Kirikiri, Queen Margaret College - Long Journey Home, Wellington

• Jacqueline Elizabeth Te Kani Nankivell, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whatatutu - Luna the Peacemaker (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Aitanga a Māhaki) Gisborne

• Nikau Wi Neera, Kapiti College - The Couple (Ngāti Toa Rangatira) Wellington

• Keimarire Tibble-Brown, Bethlehem College - Calm After the Storm (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Pūkenga, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) Tauranga

Best Short Story Written by a School Student in te reo Māori, judged by Kawata Teepa

• Anipātene Biddle, Te Kura o te Koutu - Te Mate o te Pūreitanga (Te Arawa, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Raukawa) Rotorua

• Katarina Havekamp, Te Kura o te Koutu - Pi... Pi... Pi... (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Tama) Rotorua

• Tahu Potiki Te Maro-Doran, Otaki College - Haututu (Ngāti Porou) Wellington

Stories from selected finalists will feature in the latest short story book HUIA Short Stories 12. The book will be launched and the winners will be announced at the 2017 Pikihuia Awards to be held at Te Wharewaka ō Poneke, Wellington on Saturday 9th September 2017.

ENDS

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