Anahera Morehu
“For me, the thing that’s special about reading a great book is the ability to leave the norms of the world and disappear into another dimension…
If I get really involved in a book, it can be hard for others to get my attention. I’m the convenor for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for this year’s New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. I can’t remember the name of the first children’s book I ever read in te reo Māori, but it was something that I read to my son when he was still a baby. I had been away from te reo Māori for a while, working within a totally different area. From memory, that book was about the environment which suited me and him quite well because we lived in a place surrounded by bush, river, and sea. On reflection, it was neat that from there my passion for te reo came back and I started speaking it more to my son, in fact the only English he learnt at that time was from those in our house who could understand but didn’t know how to speak te reo Māori.
One of the biggest things for me in taking on the convenor role for the awards has been my wonderful fellow judges, Ruki Tobin, and Te Paea Paringatai, who bring incredible perspective, knowledge, and insight. We combine our skillsets and expand our whanaungatanga — which is exhilarating. Their eloquence and commitment support the role of the convenor, making this a much easier road than I had originally envisaged. I am also thankful to have had the previous convenor as a mentor and sounding board.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading the books in this category. The simplicity of some, the breadth and depth of others. When considering these writings, the biggest factor has been to ensure that they lift te reo Māori to new heights. The storytelling for different age groups across the category is fantastic and I think provides options for younger readers who might be at a higher level than their age, as well as for adult learners to increase their capacity and to share these books with their children and grow and develop together in te reo Māori. I hope that there are more people who will be writing in te reo in the future. Consider that 2022–2032 has been declared the Decade of Indigenous Languages. I hope that this will encourage writing in te reo and the growth of the number of books for this category in the near future.
When it comes to how important it is for children to be able to read books in te reo Māori, I’m also reminded of the kōrero, “Mai i te mata o te pene ki te mata o te arero.” True storytelling can be in many different media. What we mean by a ‘book’ is in the eye of the beholder or, in this case, the eye of the reader. Is a pou whakairo a book? Is a tukutuku a book? These objects tell stories in te reo Māori. The key I believe is sharing stories out loud with our children. I believe that the perspective the reader or storyteller brings carries through into how they read and that hearing their lilt and expression can expand a listener’s reading capacity and understanding.”
Anahera Morehu is the 2021 Judges Convenor for the Wright Family Foundation Te Kura Pounamu Award for the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults.