October 13, 2022
Pukapuka in Pounamu legacy
Witi Ihimaera says that 50 years on from the publication of his first book he can say Aotearoa New Zealand welcomes Māori writers.
Pounamu Pounamu was a collection of short stories written by the then-28-year-old Ihimaera.
He says at the time poet Hone Tuwhare was the only other Māori writers being published and it was an uphill battle for Māori to get recognised
A half-century late Aotearoa is flush with Māori stories, writers and perspectives.
“We now have three Maori authors in the top 10 bestsellers in New Zealand (this week) – we’ve got Monty Souter’s Kawai out, we’ve got Michael Bennett’s Better the Blood and we’ve got J P Pomare’s The Wrong Woman and these are three wonderful writers and there are more,” Ihimaera says.