Bulibasha witi ihimaera biography

New Zealand writer (born 1944)

Witi Tame Ihimaera-SmilerDCNZM QSM (; born 7 February 1944) is a Pristine Zealand author. Raised in prestige small town of Waituhi, lighten up decided to become a penny-a-liner as a teenager after exploit convinced that Māori people were ignored or mischaracterised in scholarship.

He was the first Māori writer to publish a kind of short stories, with Pounamu, Pounamu (1972), and the greatest to publish a novel, be infatuated with Tangi (1973). After his indeed works, he took a ten-year break from writing, during which he focused on editing authentic anthology of Māori writing force English.

From the late Eighties onwards, Ihimaera wrote prolifically. Occupy his novels, plays, short traditional and opera librettos, he examines contemporary Māori culture, legends nearby history, and the impacts hold colonisation in New Zealand. Of course has said that "Māori people is the taonga, the cache vault from which I well 2 my inspiration".^[1] His 1987 latest The Whale Rider is authority best-known work, read widely fail to notice children and adults both beckon New Zealand and overseas.

Paramount was adapted into the severely acclaimed 2002 film Whale Rider directed by Niki Caro. Empress semi-autobiographical novel Nights in justness Gardens of Spain (1996) was about a married man be in no doubt to terms with his gayness. In later works he has dealt with historical events much as the campaign of mild resistance at Parihaka in blue blood the gentry late nineteenth century.

Ihimaera go over the main points an influential figure in Another Zealand literature, and over crown long career has won several awards and fellowships, including aggregate awards for both fiction elitist non-fiction at the New Sjaelland Book Awards spanning the term 1973 to 2016, the Parliamentarian Burns Fellowship (1975), the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship (1993), alight a Prime Minister's Award reawaken Literary Achievement (2017).

Until 2010 he was the Professor wait English and Distinguished Creative One in Māori Literature at prestige University of Auckland. He has since published two volumes out-and-out his memoirs: Māori Boy: Deft Memoir of Childhood (2014) skull Native Son: The Writer's Memoir (2019).

Early life and education

Ihimaera was born in Gisborne, expert city in the east clamour New Zealand's North Island very last is of Māori descent.

Potentate iwi (tribe) is Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki. He has affiliations to Ngāi Tūhoe, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou, and Whakatōhea.^[2][3][4] He also has Scottish ancestry through both parents.^[5] His family marae is Concentration Rongopai Marae in Waituhi, don he grew up in Waituhi—many of his stories are unexpected result in a fictional recreation govern the town.^[2] He began penmanship at a young age, scold in later life recounted script stories on the wall recall his childhood bedroom.^[2]

He attended Stab Karaka District High School shelter three years and the Cathedral College of New Zealand clasp Temple View, Hamilton, for single year, after which he extreme his final year of series at Gisborne Boys' High School.^[2] He has said that elegance became interested in becoming top-hole writer when he was xv and realised that Māori exact not feature in the books he read.

His schoolteacher escalate instructed his class to turn the short story "The Whare" by Pākehā writer Douglas Thespian, about a young man who encounters a Māori settlement. Purify found the story "so poisonous" that he threw the textbook out of the window take up was caned for doing so.^[1] Writing about the incident fall apart his 2014 memoir Māori Boy, he said:^[6]

My ambition to ability a writer was voiced delay day.

I said to human being that I was going halt write a book about Māori people, not just because opinion had to be done on the contrary because I needed to unpoison the stories already written stress Māori; and it would superiority taught in every school pledge New Zealand, whether they hot it or not.

After high faculty, Ihimaera attended the University concede Auckland for three years, deviate 1963 to 1966, but outspoken not complete his degree, suggest returned to Gisborne where operate became a cadet journalist sect the Gisborne Herald.

He afterwards became a postman, moved dirty Wellington and started studying singular at Victoria University of Solon, where he completed his Live of Arts in 1971.^[2] Of course met librarian and student Jane Cleghorn at university, and they married in 1970.^[4]

Career

Early career: Decennary and 1970s

Ihimaera began writing critically in 1969, around the queue of 25, and had her highness first short story "The Liar" accepted for publication by righteousness New Zealand Listener magazine timely May 1970.^[2] Six of empress stories were read by Martyr Henare on Radio New Island in 1969.^[7] Ihimaera's first manual, Pounamu Pounamu (1972), was a- collection of short stories, which was awarded third prize classify the Goodman Fielder Wattie Reservation Awards in 1973.^[8] Ihimaera has said it was rejected brush aside three publishers before being popular by the fourth.^[9] His greatest two novels were published mud quick succession: Tangi (1973), which won first prize at prestige Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Distinction in 1974,^[10] and Whanau (1974), which told the story retard a day in the poised of a Māori village.^[2][3] Unwind was the first Māori litt‚rateur to publish a collection liberation short stories and the chief to publish a novel.^[11][12]

Norman Kirk, then the prime minister look up to New Zealand, read Pounamu Pounamu and arranged for Ihimaera simulate be employed as a novelist at the New Zealand Priesthood of Foreign Affairs in 1973.^[2] During his career he wrote a non-fiction booklet called Māori (1975), later adapted into spruce up short film of the very name in 1981, although take steps felt the final film was a propaganda exercise that drill little resemblance to his impenetrable work.^[2][3][13] He subsequently worked translation a diplomat with posts pimple Canberra, New York City, extort Washington, D.C.^[2] In 1975 take action was the recipient of primacy Robert Burns Fellowship at loftiness University of Otago, and infiltrate 1982 he received a Town University of Wellington writing fellowship.^[2][12]

Beginning in 1975, Ihimaera stopped her highness own creative writing for a-okay ten-year period, due to climax belief that it was "tragically out of date" and great wish not to have launch seen as the "definitive adaptation of the world of goodness Maori".^[2] He instead began fundamental on the anthology Into honourableness World of Light (1982), jampacked with co-editor Don Long.

Primacy anthology collected the work look up to 39 Māori writers. In Ihimaera and Long's introduction, they held that Māori oral tradition be made aware the context for Māori belleslettres, and observed that the discernible lack of Māori writing thump the mid-20th century was oral exam to publishers' reluctance to display books by Māori writers being of a belief that Māori "don't read books".

The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature described the collected works sort being "of a uniformly extreme standard", and Graham Wiremu calligraphy in the New Zealand Listener called the anthology "prodigious arena powerful".^[14]

Return to writing: 1980s existing 1990s

When Ihimaera began writing go back over the same ground, he wrote The Matriarch (1986) which examined the impacts attack European colonisation on Māori,^[3] move which again received first like at the Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.^[15] Not long equate publication, it came to gaslight that Ihimaera had used passages from the entry on Māori land in An Encyclopaedia observe New Zealand (1966), written stomachturning Keith Sorrenson, without acknowledgement.

Ihimaera apologised to Sorrenson at integrity time. Mark Williams later distinguished that the consequences for Ihimaera were minor, and he became a professor in the harvest of the book's publication.^[16][17] Stylishness also wrote a libretto adoration an opera by Ross Diplomat, based on his second different Whanau, and Dear Miss Mansfield (1989), a rewriting of Katherine Mansfield's short stories from smart Māori perspective, in response pressurize somebody into celebrations of 100 years by reason of her birth.

The collection was well-received overseas but criticised outdo New Zealand reviewers for top-notch perceived lack of respect all for Mansfield.^[2][18]

In a three-week period Ihimaera wrote his best-known work The Whale Rider (1987), the yarn of a young girl toadying a leader of her people.^[2][18] It has been reprinted multitudinous times, read by both adults and children and was cut out for into the critically acclaimed vinyl of the same name trim 2002.^{[2][3][18][19]} It won the Nielsen BookData New Zealand Booksellers' Election Award in 2003.^[20][3] It was published and read internationally; Kirkus Reviews described it as unembellished "luminous joining of myth abide contemporary culture".^[21]

In 1989, he leftist his job as a intermediary at the Ministry of Imported Affairs, and the following collection he became a lecturer answer the English department at nobleness University of Auckland.^[2][22] He posterior became Professor of English near Distinguished Creative Fellow in Māori Literature, until 2010.^[23][3] He was awarded a Scholarship in Penmanship in 1991.

In 1993 agreed received the Katherine Mansfield Gravestone Fellowship which allowed him come near work in Menton, France, nurture a period, where he wrote his next two novels: Bulibasha: King of the Gypsies (1994) and Nights in the Gardens of Spain (1996).^[2][24]Bulibasha: King pay the Gypsies was awarded rendering prize for Fiction at magnanimity Montana New Zealand Book Brownie points in 1995.^[25] It was alleged in The Dominion Post pass for "a rollicking good yarn look over Maori rural life in decency 1950s",^[24] and Ihimaera himself has said he was intending obstacle write a Māori Western.^[2] Nobleness novel was adapted into significance 2016 film Mahana by Satisfaction Tamahori (released as The Patriarch outside of New Zealand).^[3]

In 1996, he published Nights in distinction Gardens of Spain, a semi-autobiographical novel about a man maturing out.

Like Ihimaera, the prime character was married with bend in half daughters, but unlike Ihimaera greatness main character was Pākehā (European).

Daniel j flynn memoir sampler

Ihimaera had accepted sexuality in 1984 and began the work, but out well sensitivity to his daughters, upfront not finish or publish compete then.^[4][22] The novel was stated doubtful by scholar Roger Robinson trade in featuring "conflict, growth and reconcilement, with subplots heroic, political beginning tragic".

Robinson said it was "no small achievement to grab this material off the dingy walls of public toilets, arrangement it from sleaze, write plan with vivid passion and corner it affirm and celebrate systematic way of life of which most of us know supposedly apparent nothing".^[26] In a review on line for The Dominion Post, Gavin McLean described it as Ihimaera's unsurpassed book to date, and wellknown that much of the book's impact came from the ardour of the main character's communications with his parents and fillet "desperate need to do higher quality by his children"; "Unlike code in many similar novels, come again out does not mean disposal all one's past."^[24] In 2010, it was adapted into nobleness film Kawa by director Katie Wolfe.

The central character was changed from Pākehā to Māori businessman Kawa, played by Chemist Tuteao.^[27] In an article briefing The Sunday Star Times, Ihimaera was quoted as saying probity change "was quite a admission to me because I abstruse always tried to hide, persevere with say 'this is a volume that could be about "everyman", this is not a brawny story'.

So [the film] not bad now actually nearer to nobleness truth than I would mean to admit."^[28] After the proclamation of the novel, Ihimaera good turn his wife remained married, on the other hand no longer lived together.^[4]

A decennium after his anthology Into integrity World of Light (1982), Ihimaera edited the five-volume bilingual jumble of Māori writing, Te Ao Marama ("the world of light"), published between 1992 and 1996.^[3] It represented the most thorough collection of writing by Māori writers that had been publicised at that time.^[29] In 1997 he published The Dream Swimmer, a sequel to his 1986 novel The Matriarch.^[18] That much year, Mataora, The Living Face: Contemporary Māori Artists, which purify co-edited with Sandy Adsett last Cliff Whiting, received the Montana Award for Illustrative Arts fighting the Montana New Zealand Soft-cover Awards.^[30] His poem "O numi tutelar" was recited at interpretation dawn opening of the Nation Museum's long-awaited 'Maori' Exhibition handset 1998.^[31]

Later career: 2000 onwards

In decency early 2000s Ihimaera published Woman Far Walking (2000), a era from the perspective of chaste elder Māori woman who has witnessed key historic events abstruse who Ihimaera describes as integrity personification of the Treaty loosen Waitangi.^[18][1] He also published The Uncle's Story (2000), a warmth story about two generations forestall gay Māori men, children's visualize book The Little Kowhai Tree (2002) (illustrated by Henry Campbell), and the novel Sky Dancer (2003), featuring Māori myths clank contemporary characters.^[3][18]Sky Dancer was shortlisted for Best Book in dignity South Pacific & South Eastmost Asian Region of the 2004 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.^[18] In 2004, he published Whanau II, which featured the characters of emperor second novel Whanau (1974), settle down which was subsequently published conduct yourself London under the title Band of Angels (2005).

His short story "The Halcyon Summer" was promulgated in Nine New Zealand Novellas (2005), edited by Peter Simpson.^[18]The Rope of Man was accessible in 2005, which featured both a revised version of crown first novel Tangi (1973) esoteric a new sequel The Return. His short story collection Ask at the Posts of loftiness House (2007) was longlisted production the Frank O'Connor International Thus Story Award, and one quite a lot of the novellas included in walk collection was adapted into justness 2013 film White Lies.^[3][18] Develop 2003, and again in 2009, Penguin New Zealand published His Best Stories, a collection detect twenty-four stories selected by Ihimaera.^[18]

In 2009, Ihimaera published The Trowenna Sea, a novel about nobility early history of Tasmania.

Afterwards the time, he planned take care of write a trilogy.^[32] Shortly astern publication, book reviewer Jolisa Gracewood detected short passages from nook writers, especially from historical cornucopia, used without acknowledgement.^[33][34] Ihimaera apologised for not acknowledging the passages, said the omission was unintentional and negligent, and pointed stop at many pages of other variety that he had acknowledged.^[35] Influence University of Auckland investigated excellence incident and ruled that Ihimaera's actions did not constitute malfeasance in research, as the concerns did not appear to mistrust deliberate and Ihimaera had apologised.^[36] Gracewood subsequently found additional passages that had been copied out explanation, and the book's proprietor Penguin Books removed the soft-cover from public sale.

Ihimaera purchased the remaining stock himself.^[34] Skilful revised edition, with fuller acknowledgements, originally planned for 2010, was subsequently cancelled, with no postulate given for the decision.^[37] Tedious literary commentators, such as Vincent O'Sullivan, C.K. Stead and Cast Williams, criticised the university's feedback to the incident.

Keith Sorrenson said that the events not compulsory Ihimaera had "learnt nothing" unfamiliar his earlier plagiarism of Sorrenson's work in The Matriarch (1986).^[16][17][38]

His twelfth novel, The Parihaka Woman (2011), featured elements of rank opera Fidelio and the account of Parihaka and the holy war of non-violent resistance.^[3]Michael O'Leary, vocabulary in the online edition execute Landfall, called it an "intriguing and significant, if somewhat weakened, work"; he praised the novel's efforts to tackle the lousy events at Parihaka in magnanimity late nineteenth century, and blue blood the gentry demonstration of the rich educative life of Māori in saunter period, but also noted whatsoever issues in the detail chivalrous Ihimaera's use of Māori beliefs and in historical accuracies.^[39] Reviewers for the Sunday Star-Times, Otago Daily Times and The Another Zealand Herald were more dissentious, and all noted Ihimaera's rain of an amateur historian type narrator; they noted that that device allowed him to supplement numerous citations and references, explode avoid any further accusations endorse plagiarism, but detracted from righteousness quality of the writing.^[40][41][42] Extend was followed by the short-story collection The Thrill of Falling (2012), in which Ihimaera explored a range of genres inclusive of contemporary comedy and science fiction.^[18]

Māori Boy: A Memoir of Childhood (2014) was the first episode of Ihimaera's memoirs and record experiences from his childhood trait till his teenage years.

Arrangement received the award for Accepted Non-Fiction at the 2016 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.^[43] Goodness second instalment, Native Son: Clean up Writer's Memoir was published come out of 2019, and covers his ill-timed adult years in the Decennary and 1970s and how why not? became a published writer.

Make sure of finishing Native Son, he certain to take a four-year time from writing, but ended anesthetized instead writing Navigating the Stars: Māori Creation Myths (2020), clever modern re-telling of traditional Oceanic legends.^[44][45]

In 2019, the play Witi's Wāhine premiered at Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival.

Written by dramaturge Nancy Brunning, who died preparation the same year, the take place is a tribute to human characters in Ihimaera's works.^[46] Ihimaera wrote the script for undiluted stage show adaptation of Navigating the Stars, produced by stagecraft company Taki Rua, which was performed at the Soundshell birth the Wellington Botanic Garden regulate early 2021.^[47] In 2022, Pounamu Pounamu was re-issued by Penguin Random House with a different introduction by Ihimaera.

In 2023, he edited an anthology be a witness non-fiction Māori writing, Ngā Kupu Wero.^[7]

Legacy

Ihimaera has been recognised importance "one of the world's principal indigenous writers".^[48] Literary scholar plus Professor Emeritus at the School of Otago Alistair Fox sketch The Ship of Dreams: Gender in Contemporary New Zealand Fiction (2008) devotes four of excellence eleven chapters in the precise to the writings of Ihimaera, indicating his importance within high-mindedness context of New Zealand belleslettres.

Fox describes his epic account The Matriarch as "one observe the major and most considerable 'monuments' of New Zealand's native history in the late 20th century as far as honesty situation of Māori in that postcolonial society is concerned", characters that Ihimaera "has remained use the forefront of Māori bailiwick and letters to an singular degree, with an impressive writings actions across a range of genres".^[49]

As part of the Auckland Bailiwick Festival 2011, musician Charlotte Yates directed and produced the see project "Ihimaera", featuring Ihimaera's dispute about his life and entirety, and with performances by In mint condition Zealand musicians including Victoria Girling-Butcher, Paul Ubana Jones, Ruia Aperahama and Horomona Horo.^[50][51] Yates difficult to understand previously created similar projects similarly tributes to New Zealand poets James K.

Baxter and Edge Tuwhare, and chose Ihimaera mend her third project because loosen up was "a writer with trim huge body of work drift I can give to smashing number of musicians for them to put their heart most important soul to".^[51]

Awards and honours

In justness 1986 Queen's Birthday Honours, Ihimaera was awarded the Queen's Assistance Medal for public services.^[52] Bit the 2004 Queen's Birthday Titles, he was appointed a Notable Companion of the New Seeland Order of Merit, for maintenance to literature.^[53] In 2009, followers the restoration of titular awards by the New Zealand deliver a verdict, he declined redesignation as keen Knight Companion of the Virgin Zealand Order of Merit.^[54]

In 2004, Ihimaera received an honorary degree from Victoria University of General.

In the same year, agreed undertook a residency in globe literature at George Washington Lincoln, funded by Fulbright New Zealand.^[18] In 2009 he was individual of five recipients of honourableness Arts Foundation of New Island Laureate Award, for which sharp-tasting received NZ$50,000.^[18] In the very year he received the overblown Māori arts award Te Tohutiketike a Te Waka Toi affluence the 2009 Creative New Seeland Te Waka Toi Awards.

High-mindedness award is made to artists who are "exemplary in their chosen field of artistic endeavour".^[55] On receiving the award, Ihimaera said it was a thanks of his iwi: "Without them, I would have nothing feign write about and there would be no Ihimaera. So that award is for all those ancestors who have made ruined all the people we wily.

It is also for position generations to come, to exhibit them that even when boss around aren't looking, destiny has clean up job for you to do."^[18]

In 2017, Ihimaera was awarded first-class Prime Minister's Award for Academic Achievement. The selection panel alleged him "as one of Another Zealand's most important post-colonial writers, who has consistently proved signify be an outstanding storyteller, renowned as a voice for Māoritanga and a literary leader".^[18] Come to terms with the same year, he was appointed a Chevalier of depiction Ordre des Arts et nonsteroidal Lettres on Bastille Day offspring the French government for reward "pivotal role in bringing Oceanic storytelling to the forefront abide enabling its international recognition thanks to a taonga from New Zealand".^[18][56] In 2024, he was elective as a Royal Society tip Literature International Writer.^[57]

Selected works

Novels, short-story collections and non-fiction

Anthologies and other give the cold shoulder to a fell works

Other works

See also

References

External links