Three books translated into Māori are finalists at the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. One of the finalists is Haka also titled Whiti te Ra which was written by Māori Author Patricia Grace.
Haka also tilted Whiti te rā! is a labour of love written in English by Patricia Grace.
“I felt that the story hadn't really been told for children in a children's picture book form I thought that the story could be something worthwhile,” says Grace.
The book was published by Huia and translated into Māori by Kawata Teepa of Ngāi Tūhoe.
“With regard to the English language, when you see and use the phrases, you will see the flow of what the author is trying to express,” says Teepa.
Haka, Whiti te Ra is a finalist in the Te Kuru Pounamu section of the awards. The category recognises excellence in the Māori language. Kawata Teepa also translated Tamanui te Kōkako o Taranaki into Māori. It was written by Rebecca Beyer and Linley Wellington.
Maori language advocate Pania Papa translated Te Hua Tuatahi a Kuwi into Māori. The book was written by Kat Merewether.
Convenor for the judges of the Te reo Māori panel, Riki-Lee Saua says, “along with assessing the reo used in each entry the judges also assessed whether the stories reflexed the lives attitudes of Māori children.”
New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults will be held in Wellington on August 8.