Award-winning bilingual picture book now in new paperback edition

 

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna 
Listen to your Ancestors
BILINGUAL

Darryn Joseph
Illustrated by Munro Te Whata

Back in an attractive paperback edition is the award-winning book that helped launch Darryn Joseph as a leading author and promoter of children’s literature. 

 

Darryn had penned a score of readers for Māori immersion education, before Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna / Listen to your Ancestors came as his first book for the general market, in 2019. 

 

That hardback book won the NZSA Heritage Book Award, Māori section in 2020, and is now available in a lower-priced paperback. 

Set in a school and a rest home, Darryn’s story follows a teacher giving life lessons to her students based on the example of Māori gods and ancestors.

 

As the story unfolds, the teacher ages and retires, and her granddaughter cares for her until her death. Her granddaughter also a teacher, then begins to pass on to her pupils lessons from the ancestors.

Beautifully illustrated by Munro Te Whata, the book dives deep into te Ao Māori, the connection to tūpuna and to the natural world, the concepts of aroha and manaakitanga.

 

Darryn has gone on to a range of collaborations and translations with noted author-illustrator Donovan Bixley, as well as judging for the New Zealand Book Awards and being a trustee of the Storylines Children’s Literature Trust. 

The authors

Darryn Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto) is an author and language consultant who was for over 20 years a senior lecturer in Māori language at Massey University, Palmerston North. He is the author or translator of some 30 books, mainly for Māori immersion education. 

Munro Te Whata (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou, Niue) is an animator, artist and writer who has illustrated several books. He lives with this family in Auckland where he works in and teaches animation and illustration. 

Publication: 5 March 2024  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-67-4  |  RRP $22.99

Paperback, 270 x 210 mm portrait, 32 pages, colour

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna wins te Reo category at NZSA Heritage Book Awards

Ngā mihi nunui ki a te kaituhi Darryn Joseph rāua ko te kaiwhakaahua Munro Te Whata, kua toa kōrua i ngā NZSA Heritage Book Awards mo te pukapuka tamariki pai ake i te Reo, i panuihia i te pō o Rāpare kei Ōtautahi.

Hearty congratulations to author Darryn Joseph and illustrator Munro Te Whata, whose book Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna/Listen to your Ancestors won the best children's book in Te Reo at the NZSA Heritage Book Awards, announced on Thursday at a ceremony in Christchurch. 

Darryn, who is a lecturer in Māori at Massey University, Palmerston North, wrote this moving story in te Reo and then translated it into English, and Auckland-based illustrator and animator Munro brought it to life in images. 

We salute Darryn and Munro for their achievement, and also acknowledge the fine work of editorial director Carolyn Lagahetau and designer Cheryl Smith in creating a book that has touched many readers young and old. 

The story follows a beloved teacher giving her pupils and grand-daughter guidance by directing them to follow the examples of Māori gods and ancestors.

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna teaches the values represented by Māori gods and ancestors, and provides a much-needed tool for reading in te Reo. But at its heart this is a story of love and respect, harking back to the friendship that inspired its writing. 

Darryn Joseph

Munro Te Whata (left) with the book's editor, Carolyn Lagahetau

Publication: 10 September 2019  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-62-9 |  RRP $25.99

Paperback, 270 x 21o mm, 32 pages colour

He whakarewatanga rawe kei Te Papa-i-oea

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna/Listen to your Ancestors has just been launched today in an uplifting event at the beautiful Wharerata homestead on the Massey University campus, Te Papa-i-oea/Palmerson North. 

Fittingly for Te Wiki o te Reo Māori/Maori Language Week, most of the event was in te Reo, with translation into te Reo Pākeha (English) — much like the book itself. 

Te Hamua Nikora (left) shares his wit and oratory at  the launch

MC and media personality Te Hamua Nikora (Ngāti Porou) had the audience alternately reflecting and cracking up as he praised author Darryn Joseph and encouraged those attending to buy multiple copies. 

"This book contains real mauri (spirit) and may it be a blessing to all who read it. 

"And today there's a chance to take some of that mauri home!" he added. 

Darryn Joseph speaks about the genesis and realisation of his book

Darryn paid tribute to illustrator Munro Te Whata and editor Carolyn Lagahetau for imbuing Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna with that mauri and to Oratia Books "for giving te Reo a space to fly." 

Darryn (left) and Cynthia White read in Māori and English respectively

He and Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Cynthia White jointly read the book to the approximately 100 guests attending, including a group from Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School who provided a beautiful waiata a ringa/action song.

The tribute to teachers was appropriate, given the book's dedication:
Tūturu, whakamaharatia, whakamīharotia,

whananuia ō tātou kaiako ahorangi!

Mōhio koe ki tō ake tino!

Let’s remember and celebrate our amazing teachers!

You know your own favourite!

Queuing for their copies

Tuhinga o mua o te roopu Oratia, ngā manaakitanga ki a koe e Darryn, ki Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, me ngā kaihoko pukapuaka a Bruce McKenzie Booksellers. 

Our appreciation to Darryn and Munro and whānau, to Massey University for hosting the launch, and to Corey from Bruce McKenzie Booksellers for selling copies on the day. 

An author kept busy dedicating copies to the many who attended

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna is available through good booksellers everywhere, and if you're in Palmerston North, get along to Bruce McKenzie Booksellers for your copy.

Celebrating Māori Language Week with a new picture book in te Reo

One night in June 2016, Massey University language lecturer Darryn Joseph sat in a hospital room minding a teacher who had become a dear friend and mentor to him. 

Darryn wrote her a poem of appreciation, kissed her hand and said goodbye; the next day she passed away. 

That poem is contained in Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna/Listen to your Ancestors, a picture book in te Reo Māori with English translation, publishing today during Te Wiki o te Reo Māori/Māori Language Week.

The story follows a beloved teacher giving her pupils and grand-daughter guidance by directing them to follow the examples of Māori gods and ancestors.

“Every teacher teaches you something, but a few special teachers leave lasting impressions that stay with you for life,” says Darryn.

The book is illustrated by emerging artist Munro Te Whata, who has vividly brought to life settings in a school, the outdoors and a rest home in a colourful style.

Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna teaches the values represented by Māori gods and ancestors, and provides a much-needed tool for reading in te Reo. But at its heart this is a story of love and respect, harking back to the friendship that inspired its writing. 

Darryn Joseph

The authors

Darryn Joseph (Ngāti Maniapoto) is a senior lecturer in Māori language at Massey University, Palmerston North, and the author of more than 23 books, mainly for Māori immersion education. Darryn is a trustee of Storylines and was a judge for the 2018 NZ Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Munro Te Whata (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou) is a dynamic young animator, artist and writer who has illustrated several books. He lives in Auckland. 

Munro Te Whata (left) with the book's editor, Carolyn Lagahetau

Publication: 10 September 2019  |  ISBN: 978-0-947506-62-9 |  RRP $24.99

Paperback, 270 x 21o mm, 32 pages colour