ALL WINNERS
published in NZ Author, Issue 330 Spring 2022
It was described as a “brave move” by arts consultant, Donna McLeod (Te Āti Awa) when she was approached to assist the NZSA Top of the South Branch to include te reo Māori entries in their annual short story competition.
The TOS Branch committee put in a determined effort to make it work. At the announcement of winners on June 30th Donna was thrilled by the response from Māori writers and said, “The fact that it has been a partnership from the start has contributed to this success.”
With assistance from Wakatū Incorporation in the form of advice and platinum sponsorship, the annual short story competition was given a professional new look with rebranding as Te Tauihu Short Story Awards. Entries were accepted in New Zealand’s two official written languages: English and Māori. Prizes for both sections were of equal value.
With different levels of sponsorship, local businesses were encouraged to contribute to the awards. Nelson’s premier bookstores, Page & Blackmore Booksellers and Volume Space for Books, as well as the South Island philanthropic fund, The Rata Foundation, came on board as Gold Sponsors. This enabled the branch to offer worthwhile prizes and fees for judges.
The inclusion of the new reo Māori option added diversity to the competition and attracted a wide representation of authors. Overall, 15% of authors in the overall competition identify as Māori. This is almost representative of the Māori population as a whole (16.56% at the 2018 census). Many of the authors entering the competition reside in Te Tauihu. The first prize winner of the reo Māori option, Zeb Nicklin, includes Rangitāne in his iwi.
Te reo Māori final judge, Hana Mereraiha commented, “The shortlist was of a very high calibre. Kei te ora rawa atu te reo auaha, te reo kairangi.” Shortlisting judge for the reo Māori option, Hēmi Kelly noted, “The writing in te reo Māori is of a high standard in terms of creativity and also in the use of te reo, of figurative language, and other structures that embellish the kōrero.”
An unexpected bonus of including the reo Māori section is that it encouraged more Māori writers to enter the English option of the competition. Of writers entering the English language stories, 11% identify as Māori.
James MacTaggart (Ngāi Tahu), the winner of the English option of the competition wrote, “I'm a bit biased now, but I thought Te Tauihu was great. The poster was eye-catching and the quality of judges speaks to the prestige of the award… For me personally, the most appealing thing about Te Tauihu was the advocacy for tikanga Māori and te reo. The kaupapa of Te Tauihu immediately set it apart from other short story awards and genuinely made me excited to write an entry… Thanks again for the feedback and the opportunity to contribute. It's been a massive boost to my writing wairua.”
Shortlisting judges for the English option commented that “the amount of content centred in te ao Māori was notable. Myths were reframed, heroic characters, be they human or bird, were brought to life on the page and the particular traumas that result from living a life split between two cultures underpinned some sad, evocative and powerful, and sometimes redemptive, stories. Te reo was often seamlessly integrated in a way that enhanced the ideas and themes.”
Final judge for the English option, Renée (Ngati Kahungunu) noted, “The standard of writing is very high and while this makes the stories a delight and a pleasure to read, it also adds to the hard work of judging. Congratulations and thanks to all the writers. Not only are you all accomplished writers who know how to tell a good story but you also have the courage to send your story out into the world to be judged in this competition. It’s a trite thing to say but a true one…you are all winners.”
Winning entries can be read online at https://www.topwriters.co.nz/te-tauihu-awards-2022-shortlist.html
With such positive feedback from entrants, judges and sponsors, the Top of the South Branch expects the Te Tauihu Short Story Awards 2023 to add to the success of the inaugural awards.
The TOS Branch committee put in a determined effort to make it work. At the announcement of winners on June 30th Donna was thrilled by the response from Māori writers and said, “The fact that it has been a partnership from the start has contributed to this success.”
With assistance from Wakatū Incorporation in the form of advice and platinum sponsorship, the annual short story competition was given a professional new look with rebranding as Te Tauihu Short Story Awards. Entries were accepted in New Zealand’s two official written languages: English and Māori. Prizes for both sections were of equal value.
With different levels of sponsorship, local businesses were encouraged to contribute to the awards. Nelson’s premier bookstores, Page & Blackmore Booksellers and Volume Space for Books, as well as the South Island philanthropic fund, The Rata Foundation, came on board as Gold Sponsors. This enabled the branch to offer worthwhile prizes and fees for judges.
The inclusion of the new reo Māori option added diversity to the competition and attracted a wide representation of authors. Overall, 15% of authors in the overall competition identify as Māori. This is almost representative of the Māori population as a whole (16.56% at the 2018 census). Many of the authors entering the competition reside in Te Tauihu. The first prize winner of the reo Māori option, Zeb Nicklin, includes Rangitāne in his iwi.
Te reo Māori final judge, Hana Mereraiha commented, “The shortlist was of a very high calibre. Kei te ora rawa atu te reo auaha, te reo kairangi.” Shortlisting judge for the reo Māori option, Hēmi Kelly noted, “The writing in te reo Māori is of a high standard in terms of creativity and also in the use of te reo, of figurative language, and other structures that embellish the kōrero.”
An unexpected bonus of including the reo Māori section is that it encouraged more Māori writers to enter the English option of the competition. Of writers entering the English language stories, 11% identify as Māori.
James MacTaggart (Ngāi Tahu), the winner of the English option of the competition wrote, “I'm a bit biased now, but I thought Te Tauihu was great. The poster was eye-catching and the quality of judges speaks to the prestige of the award… For me personally, the most appealing thing about Te Tauihu was the advocacy for tikanga Māori and te reo. The kaupapa of Te Tauihu immediately set it apart from other short story awards and genuinely made me excited to write an entry… Thanks again for the feedback and the opportunity to contribute. It's been a massive boost to my writing wairua.”
Shortlisting judges for the English option commented that “the amount of content centred in te ao Māori was notable. Myths were reframed, heroic characters, be they human or bird, were brought to life on the page and the particular traumas that result from living a life split between two cultures underpinned some sad, evocative and powerful, and sometimes redemptive, stories. Te reo was often seamlessly integrated in a way that enhanced the ideas and themes.”
Final judge for the English option, Renée (Ngati Kahungunu) noted, “The standard of writing is very high and while this makes the stories a delight and a pleasure to read, it also adds to the hard work of judging. Congratulations and thanks to all the writers. Not only are you all accomplished writers who know how to tell a good story but you also have the courage to send your story out into the world to be judged in this competition. It’s a trite thing to say but a true one…you are all winners.”
Winning entries can be read online at https://www.topwriters.co.nz/te-tauihu-awards-2022-shortlist.html
With such positive feedback from entrants, judges and sponsors, the Top of the South Branch expects the Te Tauihu Short Story Awards 2023 to add to the success of the inaugural awards.