Our warmest congratulations! – To Hirini Kaa, joint winner of the Ernest Scott Prize for his book Te Hāhi Mihinare / The Māori Anglican Church.
The Ernest Scott Prize for History is awarded to the book/s that make the most distinguished contribution to the history of Australia or New Zealand. We are thrilled to congratulate the Rev. Hirini (again) on his remarkable history Te Hāhi Mihinare / The Māori Anglican Church – and join the congratulations also for Grace Karskens for People of the River: Lost Worlds of Early Australia (Allen & Unwin). Ngā mihi nui ki a kōrua!
The judges have written:
Hirini Kaa has written a compelling book demonstrating the dynamic nature of Indigenous cultures and the agency of colonised peoples. Engagingly and dramatically written, Kaa carries the reader with him as he traces the complexities of Māori history as well as the intricacies of Anglican structure and liturgy. …
No longer can it be assumed that colonial missionaries determined the terms of conversion or the content of the new forms which emerged. Hirini Kaa’s book demands that the agency of colonised peoples is recognised as central to the emergence of new ways to understand faith.
The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards were announced this week. We have been celebrating the shortlisting of BWB authors Hirini Kaa and Alison Jones, and are glad to congratulate the full list of winners – a wonderful group of books!