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Writer Apirana Taylor says mainstream publishers are missing out on a rich stream of Maori writing being done around the country.
Taylor is speaking on Sunday at the Auckland Readers and Writers Festival on his new novel, Five Strings, which he describes as a story of love, pain and healing between two alcoholic drug addicts.
There are few Maori writers evident at the festival, but he says that’s not a reflection on the amount being written – just the amount being published.
"There are hundreds of Maori people writing powerful stuff and it's not getting through the gate so we need to encourage our Maori publishers because no one has a greater stake in our stories than we have. The writing is important because it tells our stories and it strengthens our culture and keeps us alive," Taylor says.
Five Strings is published by Anahera Press
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