New team members add te Ao Māori and international perspectives to Oratia Books

Everyone at Oratia Books is pleased to welcome two outstanding new members to our multicultural team. 

Hirini Tane (Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri) joins on a part-time basis as Kaiārahi/Counsellor — to guide our work in Māori publishing, including te reo, tikanga and matauranga. 

 

Hirini’s whakapapa is to the marae of Oromahoe in the Bay of Islands where he grew up before attending the universities of Auckland and Otago.

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Hirini Tane

He holds a doctorate in Māori Studies from the University of Otago Te Whare Wānanga o Otākou, and has ongoing research interests in relationships of people, land and water.

 

Based in Ōtepoti/Dunedin, he is a principal of independent Māori research organisation Takarangi Research, and kaiwhakahaere/manager of the Māori Maps social enterprise. 

 

A fluent speaker of te reo Māori, Hirini will offer editorial support for our growing list of books in te reo and bilingual editions. 

 

Hirini and Oratia's publisher Peter Dowling have worked together for many years on the Māori Maps kaupapa, where Peter was kaihautū/executive director until recently.

 

Ella Fischer is building on her publishing career by taking the role of Assistant Editor on a freelance basis. Ella is assisting us with a range of editorial and marketing tasks. 

 

Originally from Tulln, Austria, Ella graduated with distinction in Comparative Literature from the University of Vienna before working in France and lecturing at Queen Mary University of London. 

 

Ella Fischer

In Aotearoa she has worked as a language teacher, writer and marketing/communications advisor, mostly in Auckland, and is currently the Publishing Partnerships Specialist at Auckland Council Libraries.

 

Ella is fluent in German and English, with intermediate proficiency in te reo Māori, French and Latin.

 

“He tino harikoa mātou ki te pōwhiri atu ki a Hirini rāua ko Ella i roto i te roopu Oratia,” said Peter Dowling. 

 

“Hirini’s guidance and knowledge will help ensure our books respect and properly represent Māori communities and develop new authors.” 

 

“Ella brings an impressive suite of communication and marketing skills to Oratia, along with great energy and international vision.”

 

Hirini and Ella are fulfilling Oratia duties around their other commitments and, like all our crew, working from home.

 

For further information, contact Peter Dowling, peter@oratia.co.nz