Books of Mana: 180 Maori-Authored Books of Significance
(Hardback)
Publishing Details
Books of Mana: 180 Maori-Authored Books of Significance
By (Author) Jacinta Ruru
Edited by Angela Wanhalla
Edited by Jeanette Wikaira
Otago University Press
Otago University Press
3rd February 2025
New Zealand
Classifications
General
Non Fiction
Language: history and general works
Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers
History of education
Physical Properties
Hardback
256
Width 215mm, Height 255mm
Description
Books of Mana celebrates the rich tradition of Maori authorship in Aotearoa New Zealand. It reveals the central place of over 200 years of print literacy within te ao Maori and vividly conveys how books are understood as taonga tuku iho - treasured items handed down through generations. In this beautifully illustrated collection of essays, some of Aotearoa New Zealand's most renowned Maori thinkers join the editors in a wide-ranging korero about the influence and empowerment of Maori writing.
Books of Mana builds on the work of editors Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira, who curated Te Takarangi, a selected list of Maori-authored non-fiction books published since 1815. Launched in 2018, in partnership with the Royal Society Te Aparangi, the Te Takarangi list now comprises 180 titles, each representing an important touchstone in an extensive landscape of Maori literature. Books of Mana explores the ways these books have enriched lives and helped to foster understanding of Maori experience, both at home in Aotearoa and internationally. What emerges from the essays collected within these covers is a clear vision of the importance of writing as activism and a profound sense that these Maori-authored non-fiction books, and the knowledge they contain, are taonga.
Reviews
Books of Mana is our way of celebrating the wisdom of Mori authors and, in doing so, encouraging all New Zealanders to know better these remarkable works of mana. This book is also our way of expressing our profound gratitude for these Mori authors who have researched with care and told our stories with authority.
Author Bio
Jacinta Ruru FRSNZ (Raukawa, Ngti Ranginui) is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Mori and a Distinguished Professor of Law at tkou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago. Her work focuses on reconciling state legal systems with Indigenous laws and advocating for policies aligned with Te Tiriti o Waitangi to empower Mori in managing and governing lands and waters. Angela Wanhalla FRSNZ (Ki Tahu) is a Professor of History at tkou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago. She researches the impacts of colonialism on Mori, women and whnau, particularly in relation to colonial visual culture and Mori engagement with nineteenth-century photography. Jeanette Wikaira (Ngti Pukenga, Ngti Tamater, Ngpuhi) is the Executive Manager of Arts, Culture and Recreation at Dunedin City Council. She focuses on reclaiming story sovereignty to support community agency, creativity and courage.
