Listen Now: 
March 10, 2026
#lifestyle: Tina Makereti Named Finalist in Ockham Book Awards for Powerful Essays on Identity and Whakapapa
Dale Husband
Posted On March 10, 2026
Download AudioŌtautahi-based writer Tina Makereti has been named a finalist in the prestigious Ockham New Zealand Book Awards for her essay collection This Compulsion in Us.
The collection brings together a series of interconnected essays reflecting on identity, whakapapa and the personal journey of reconnecting with Māori heritage. Makereti, who affiliates to Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Rangatahi-Matakore, explores her experiences as a writer, daughter and mother while navigating questions of belonging and cultural identity.
The essays trace moments of discovery and reflection, weaving together personal narrative with broader insights about the complexities of identity in Aotearoa. Through the work, Makereti reflects on how whakapapa and lived experience shape a deeper understanding of self and place.
Makereti is widely recognised for her work across multiple forms of writing, including fiction, essays and creative non-fiction. Her career also includes teaching creative writing, where she has helped guide emerging writers in developing their own voices and storytelling practices.
The essay collection reflects that diverse creative background. The pieces move between memoir, cultural reflection and literary exploration, offering readers an intimate perspective on the process of understanding identity and heritage.
This Compulsion in Us also speaks to wider conversations taking place across Aotearoa about reconnection with whakapapa and the evolving journeys of Māori identity in contemporary society.
The recognition in the Ockham Book Awards places Makereti alongside some of the country’s most prominent writers. The awards are regarded as the most significant literary prizes in New Zealand, celebrating excellence across fiction, non-fiction, poetry and illustrated works.
For many readers, the strength of Makereti’s work lies in its honesty and openness. The essays explore vulnerability, family relationships and the ongoing process of becoming more deeply connected to culture and ancestry.
Literary observers say the book contributes to an expanding body of Māori writing that explores identity, belonging and cultural rediscovery from deeply personal perspectives.
As Māori voices continue to grow within the country’s literary landscape, works such as This Compulsion in Us are helping to open conversations about whakapapa, identity and the many pathways people take in reconnecting with their heritage.
The winners of the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards will be announced later this year, with Makereti’s collection already receiving strong recognition for its thoughtful and powerful contribution to contemporary writing in Aotearoa.
RELATED NEWS
