180 Māori-Authored Books of Significance
Edited by Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira
Out 3 February 2025
Books of Mana celebrates the rich tradition of Māori authorship in Aotearoa New Zealand. It reveals the central place of over 200 years of print literacy within te ao Māori 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 Māori thinkers join the editors in a wide-ranging kōrero about the influence and empowerment of Māori 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 Māori-authored non-fiction books published since 1815. Launched in 2018, in partnership with the Royal Society Te Apārangi, the Te Takarangi list now comprises 180 titles, each representing an important touchstone in an extensive landscape of Māori literature. Books of Mana explores the ways these books have enriched lives and helped to foster understanding of Māori 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 Māori-authored non-fiction books, and the knowledge they contain, are taonga.
Editors
Jacinta Ruru FRSNZ (Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui) is the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori and a Distinguished Professor of Law at Ōtākou 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 Māori in managing and governing lands and waters.
Angela Wanhalla FRSNZ (Kāi Tahu) is a Professor of History at Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago. She researches the impacts of colonialism on Māori, women and whānau, particularly in relation to colonial visual culture and Māori engagement with nineteenth-century photography.
Jeanette Wikaira (Ngāti Pukenga, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāpuhi) 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.
Contributors
Maria Bargh, Jacinta Beckwith, Victoria Campbell, Rawinia Higgins, Spencer Lilley, Paul Meredith, Wayne Ngata, Megan Pōtiki, Bridget Reweti, Poia Rewi, Jacinta Ruru, Chris Selwyn, Hinekura Smith, Huhana Smith, Angela Wanhalla, Jeanette Wikaira and Matariki Williams.
Publication details
Format: Jacketed hardback
Colour: Full colour
Dimensions: 255 x 215mm
Pages: 256 pages
Genres: History, Literature, Māori and New Zealand
ISBN: 9781990048852
RRP: $65
Release date: 3 February 2025
Available now
Reviews and Interviews
‘Another component of when we bring all these books together, we can see that collective intent of the strength of our knowledge, the strength of honouring our ancestors and the ideas of coming through to the future. And that whole notion of story soverighty comes through really clearly when you hold Books of Mana, because you’re seeing the weight of all of this knowledge as a sample of the knowledge that’s been shared with us so generously, to know and to understand ... Our deep wish is for more New Zealanders to know these books, to fill your homes, your workplaces, your schools with these books, and I think through filling our lives with these books, we can come to know more about Māori society, Māori hopes and aspirations from the past going into the future.' — Jacinta Ruru speaks to Mihingarangi Forbes for Saturday Morning RNZ Listen
‘For me, books are taonga. The knowledge they contain, the feel of them in my hands, the smell of the paper, the beauty of the object, the story of the author and the excitement of being transported somewhere new or the curiosity of learning something new are all important to how I experience a book. Books and taonga are two things that have loomed large in my life.’ — Extract by Jeanette Wikaira from Books of Mana, republished on The Spinoff Read
‘Books of Mana is our way of celebrating the wisdom of Māori 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 Māori authors who have researched with care and told our stories with authority.’ — Books of Mana extracted for The Post Read
‘My greatest hope is that more New Zealanders bring into their lives, into their homes, schools and workplaces more Māori written books. Reading can provide this incredible portal into acquiring more knowledge, understanding and empathy for our history and futures together. I really hope we inspire more New Zealanders to know about Māori-authored non-fiction books, to read these books and to learn from these books to help make our lives richer as a nation.’ — Co-editor Jacinta Ruru speaks to Sapeer Mayron for The Post Read
‘Books of Mana is a book about books that tell our stories – Māori stories. Stories that have unending connections to our past, present and future. If we don’t tell our stories, if we don’t write our stories, if we don’t publish our stories, who will? ... Story sovereignty sits at the heart of Books of Mana and speaks to the importance of story for Māori communities. Communities whose stories have historically been buried and marginalised through processes of colonisation and this continues today, which is why Māori-authored books matter. ’ — Jacinta Ruru, Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira speak to Laura Hewson for the University of Otago Read
‘It’s about us putting our knowledge in print form. But as you go through the years, it then becomes also about us telling our own histories, us telling our own stories.’ — Jeanette Wikaira speaks to Dale Husband for Radio Waatea Listen
‘It really shows the history, the persistance and the generous sharing of knowledge that Māori have been committed to for generations now. And when you see all of these books together, it’s really inspiring the range of topics that are being covered, the detail, the material that’s in there. It’s really interesing to see the themes that come through. There’s writing in there around our history and remembering. There’s a lot of writing in there about the importance of our language and the importance of identity. There’s a lot of resistance writing in there around politics and so on. And then it’s also interesting to look at how Māori women are writing and what’s driving their writing and their sharing of knowledge as well.’ — Jacinta Ruru speaks to Sofia Roger Williams for 95 bFM Listen
‘We’re an impoverished country if we don’t know our literature and this is an important part of this country’s literature and my hope is that more people engage and people start to create their own libraries. There’ll be lots of people who have some of these books and hopefully, this collection excites and makes people want to purchase more books and explore more of what’s available.’ just so much work available ... Creating the book and the work that we’ve done in this space has brought us so much joy and we just hope that this joy speaks through the book and that other people also find joy in exploring Māori-authored books as well.’ — Angela Wanhalla and Jeanette Wikaira speak to Jeff Harford for Write Spot with the Dunedin UNESCO City of Literature, OAR FM Listen
'The editors and contributors weave together historical analysis, personal reflection, and critical engagement to highlight the profound influence of Māori writing. The book underscores how early Māori writers swiftly embraced print literacy, integrating it into te ao Māori and using it as a means to document their histories, assert their rights, and challenge colonial narratives ... At a time when discussions around te reo Māori, identity, and treaty obligations remain central to New Zealand’s political and social landscape, Books of Mana is an essential contribution. It serves as both a resource and an inspiration, urging all New Zealanders to engage with these vital works. This collection is not merely a reflection on the past but a call to action—an invitation to recognise and uphold the mana of Māori writing as a cornerstone of Aotearoa’s intellectual and cultural identity.' — Chris Reed for NZ Booklovers Read
'Māori engagement with literacy is deeply tied to the history of colonisation and so anytime we write we are engaging in scholarship as activism. Even if our books are not always explicit about their activist intent, their very existence is a challenge to colonisation because we are telling our stories our way and in ways that make sense to us. Sharing knowledge is an act of resistance because putting our words in print is a statement of presence, of pride in identity, and empowerment.' — The editors speak to Erica Stretton for Kete Books Read