September 28, 2021
Writer’s gift to spark interesting Māori literature
Click for the full interview.
An ōhākī from a trailblazing Māori writer is being used to stir the imagination about Māori-specific literature projects.
The Mātātuhi Foundation has taken a bequest of $3600 from the estate of esteemed Rowley Habib from Ngāti Tūwharetoa and added another $8600 for a one-off project grant.
Trustee Paula Morris says will it be given to a proposal focussed on advancing the promotion of Māori literature.
She says similar grants have been very successful, such as the Kiwi Christmas Books project that encourages people to buy New Zealand children’s books to be put into Christmas parcels by charities like City Mission and Women’s Refuge.
“This is not just mean to benefit one person. What could they devise that could maybe benefit a wider community, that would encourage more people to read or encourage more people to write or enable more people to do those things? What could make a difference and what can we do with $8600 as seed money?” she says.
Paula Morris is also encouraging Māori to apply for the trust’s major project grant, which this year comes with $100,000 in funding.
Applications need to be in by October 31.
https://matatuhifoundation.co.nz/apply