I’m back on the New Zealand fiction grid I started earlier in the year, but this time I’m focusing on Māori fiction. I have collected a bunch of Māori books to read and talk about this month with the intention to showcase Māori authors and stories that contain Māori perspectives as this month we celebrate Matariki, the Māori New Year.

Anna, what is Matariki? What does it mean?

Matariki is the name of the Pleiades star cluster which is predominent in the mid-winter sky in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is also refered to as the Seven Sisters, so there’s another book related link to for you Lucinda Riley fans out there. Like many New Year celebrations across the world, Matariki is a time for remembrance, honouring those who have passed, being thankful and conscious of the present, and planning for the future. Gathering together is a key part of Matariki, and this allows for the whānau to come together for cultural activities and for stories and food to be shared.

So, to encourage readers from all over the globe to more New Zealand fiction, especially Māori fiction, I have spent the last month picking up books from the library and taking my time reading them so I can share with you the glorious warmth and richness of Māori culture and history in literature. There are a few New Zealand fiction books in the mix as they are recent releases and I wanted to share them with you as well, and several of these titles made it on the Ockhams 2025 longlist which is one of New Zealand’s leading book awards. All the more reason to dive into these stories and immerse yourselves in the Māori perspective!

I hope you find some new favourites and really get a chance to enjoy these reads as I believe there is much to be learnt and understood in the perspectives of indigenous people, especially those who have such a vibrant and beautiful culture. There is a bit of everything this month, from historical ficiton and crime fiction reads to literary fiction and non fiction powerhouses, Kiwi classics to new emerging talent, and overall a fantastic selection of Māori novels and Māori literature to introduce you to the exceptional storytelling you will find among Māori authors and Māori stories.