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Books of Mana

180 Maori-Authored Books of Significance
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Brief 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... Read More
Format: Hardback
$6500
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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.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! 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.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781990048852

Publisher: Otago University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 03 February 2025

Country: New Zealand

Imprint: Otago University Press

Illustration: Full colour

Contributors:

  • Edited by Angela Wanhalla
  • Edited by Jacinta Ruru
  • Edited by Jeanette Wikaira

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 215.0mm

Height: 255.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

Collections

Arts & Culture Best Sellers at Book Hero Education & Reference In Stock Arts & Culture Books In Stock Books New Zealand and Australia Published New Zealand Published Non-Fiction The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards 2026

About the Author

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.

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