Oratia Media marks 25 years with launch of Five Oceans imprint

 

Oratia Media is celebrating its 25^th birthday, having been founded on 31 August 2000 by Peter Dowling and Alessandra Zecchini in Oratia, West Auckland. 

 

Initially a publishing services business for clients in New Zealand, Japan and Europe, Oratia Media later broadened its scope, while Peter maintained a full-time role at Reed Publishing (NZ).

Alessandra Zecchini

Business included cooking classes, food writing and styling, managing charity Te Potiki National Trust, business and travel journalism, teaching, translation and contract publishing. 

Hard work over those early years laid the foundation for the company’s own publishing under the Oratia Books brand. Since 2008 it has published more than 220 own and commissioned books. 

Peter Dowling

‘Sincere thanks to our team and all the authors, illustrators, clients, photographers, editors, designers, distributors, printers, booksellers, librarians, teachers, students, reviewers and readers who have been with us on this journey,’ the founders said today. 

 

Oratia Books’ philosophy is to publish and keep in print new and classic works, marketing across New Zealand with active distribution and rights deal worldwide. 

The Treaty of Waitangi, Margaret Mahy Book of the Year 2025 

That international approach led in 2021 to the BOP Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher in Oceania. A further accolade came this month with Ross Calman’s The Treaty of Waitangi named Margaret Mahy Book of the Year in the New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. 

 

To mark its 25^th anniversary, Oratia Books is launching a new international imprint, Five Oceans. This new list will bring literary non-fiction and children’s books to Oceania from cultures whose works are under-represented in English, let alone in Polynesian languages. 

 

First comes The Ant Rebellion, a bestselling junior novel from Turkey, in October, then Finnish picture book Thank you, Forest in November. Books from India and Norway are next up in 2026. 

‘We look forward to extending Oratia’s activities to all five oceans of our planet,’ said Peter, who is developing the imprint with Rome-based Maria Leonardi, international rights manager.

 

‘With Five Oceans, we aim to bring outstanding writing and illustration into our languages, while encouraging cultural exchange to and from Aotearoa.’

Publishing with partners: Oratia keeps commissioned work to the fore

‘We couldn’t be more thrilled with the book we launched as a celebration of our 50th anniversary... Thank you, Oratia Media — you are an amazing company to work with.’

—    Bruce Pilbrow, CEO, Spirit of Adventure Trust

Oratia Media started life in 2000 as a publishing services business, and along with our own books continues to partner with organisations to bring their stories to publication.

Most recently, in November 2023 we published Roger McDonald’s A Spirit Companion as a commission from The Spirit of Adventure Trust for  its 50-year celebrations.

Roger’s superb stories of those who have sailed and supported ‘the Spirit’ spring from the page with their accompanying drawings by Sue Fisher — telling of lives changed by youth voyages and love of the sea.

‘We couldn’t be more thrilled with the book we launched as a celebration of our 50th anniversary,’ says Bruce Pilbrow, the Trust’s CEO.

‘The result is truly world class. Thank you, Oratia Media — you are an amazing company to work with.’

Oratia loved working with the Spirit team, and thank Stephen Fisher and the Trust board for putting their confidence in us to take their book from a manuscript to printed book.

The result is a beautiful production that has crossed over into the retail market, with copies on display in bookstores across the country over the 2023–24 summer.

Other commissioned publications Oratia managed last year were the Waitakere Ranges Protection Society’s print and ebook Making a Stand, and the Samoan-English picture book O Leilani ma lona Fale’oloa/Leilani’s Shop for Auckland Libraries.

Clients for whom we have produced quality books over the years include companies like Civic Assurance and Goodman Fielder, charities (The Tindall Foundation, the Order of St John), community groups and government agencies such as the New Zealand Geographic Board.

Oratia’s services range from writing, editing, proofreading and design through to print management and ebook conversion, all to the highest standards.

For more about our commission and partner publishing services, check out https://www.oratia.co.nz/services/ or email info@oratia.co.nz. 

Kei te reo Māori inaianei te paetukutuku o Oratia – Oratia web pages now in te reo Māori

I te kainamutanga o Te Wiki o te Reo Māori, e harikoa ana a Oratia Media ki te tuku i tā mātou paetukutuku i te reo Māori me te reo Ingarihi hoki.

With Māori Language Week about to start, Oratia Media is pleased to make our website available in te reo Māori as well as English. 

 

Mā te pāwhiri i ngā pātene reo Ingarihi, reo Māori rānei i te pito mauī whakarunga o ngā whārangi matua o www.oratia.co.nz, e taea ai e ngā manuhiri te tīpako i te reo e hiahiatia ana.

By clicking on buttons for English or Māori at the top left of the main pages on www.oratia.co.nz, visitors to the site can choose their preferred language. 

 

Mā te whai paetukutuku reorua e whakaatu i tō mātou manawanuitanga ki te whanaketanga me te whakamahinga o te reo Māori i ia rā i ia rā, ā, he whakamihi anō hoki i ngā reo whaimana o Aotearoa. 

Having a bilingual website reflects our commitment to the development and use of te reo Māori everyday, and recognises the official languages of Aotearoa New Zealand. 

 

E mihi ana ki te kaiwhakawhiti reo rēhita, a Kanapu Rangitauira, i āna whakamāoritanga tino pai rawa atu. 

 

Our thanks to registered translator and regular contributor, Kanapu Rangitauira, for his excellent translation. 

Ka mahi tonu a Oratia Books kia nui haere ai tā mātou rārangi pukapuka reo Māori, reorua hoki, pērā i ngā whakaputanga o tēnei marama: Te Reo Kapekape: Māori Wit and Humour, nā Hona Black, me Te Pukapuka ka Kore e Pānuihia, nā Tim Tipene rāua ko Nicoletta Benella, ā, nā Kanapu i whakamāori. 

 

Oratia Books will continue to increase our list of Māori language resources and bilingual books, as evidenced by this month’s publications: Te Reo Kapekape: Māori Wit and Humour, by Hona Black, and The Book that Wouldn’t Read/Te Pukapuka ka kore e Pānuihia, by Tim Tipene and Nicoletta Benella, translated by Kanapu. 

Kia kaha te reo Māori!

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.

­

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 

Merry Christmas to one and all! Meri Kirihimete ki a koutou katoa! Buon Natale a tutti!

 

They make it happen: a salute to Oratia's contributors

When a book is published, it's rightly the author (and oftentimes illustrator) that receive kudos and publicity, and have their photos on our website and in the media. 

The core team that runs Oratia Books (Alessandra, Belinda, Carolyn and Peter) are also profiled on the website and get to bask in the reflected glory of every new title or reprint. 

Beyond that, though, are a range of dedicated individuals at work to ensure our books are well edited, designed, printed, promoted, distributed and sold. 

At the risk of missing someone out, here's an end-of-year shout out to the folks whose work behind the scenes has enabled our 2022 books to reach the world:

• Senior editor Frances Chan, who handles much of our manuscript assessment, proofreading, indexing and keeping the books on track

• Freelance editors Mike Bradstock, Susan Brierley, Ross Calman, Mary de Ruyter, Ella Fischer, Sam Hill, Jane Hingston, Diane Lowther and Mike Wagg (if there's a typo in this post, they will spot it)

• Ngā mihi ki te reo Māori translators Stephanie Huriana Fong and Kanapu Rangitauira

• We don't have an inhouse design department but Cheryl Smith (who's been on board since our first publications in 2009) is as good as one, and with fellow designer Sarah Elworthy are integral members of the Oratia whānau — can't thank them enough

• Out in the field presenting the list and taking orders are outstanding sales reps Dennis Morgan (Northland), Gary Shannon (rest of North Island) and Annie Martin (South Island). Selling a book is generally the hardest part of publishing, so our hats are permanently off to them and to all of our bookseller customers

• Taking the orders and making sure they are filled is down to Toni Hayman, Marie Edwards and their amazing team at Publishers Distribution Ltd (PDL). We couldn't ask for more from a distributor and customer services team

• Getting the books from overseas printers to New Zealand, and from here to readers overseas, is in the sure hands of Book Systems International; much appreciation to Chris Shaw, Nick Heinemann, Kevin Agnew, Matt Tuilaepa and crew

• And that's not to mention our printers locally and in Asia, distributors internationally, or industry colleagues here and overseas that play vital roles in preparing our books for market

All of these fine folk ensure our talented authors and illustrators reach readers in New Zealand and around the world, and we salute you!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Oratia

A very Merry Christmas and Happy 2022 to all!

Meri Kirihimete me Ngā Mihi o te Tau 2022 ki a koutou katoa! 

Buon Natale e Felice 2022 a tutti!

The Oratia Books team wishes all our valued readers, customers, booksellers, authors, illustrators, editors, designers, sales reps, printers, suppliers, friends and colleagues a restorative and happy break wherever it finds you.

The Oratia office will be closed from midday Friday 24 December until Wednesday 5 January. We look forward to seeing you in the New Year.

New team members bolster Oratia Books

Oratia Media is delighted to welcome three part-time staff to the Oratia Books team, reflecting the growth of our business and our commitment to diverse and inclusive publishing.

Long-time freelance contributor Frances Chan has taken on a part-time role as Senior Editor, working alongside Editorial Director Carolyn Lagahetau to manage editorial projects and the manuscript submission process. 

Frances Chan

Frances has over 30 years’ editorial experience in book and magazine publishing, having worked for Scholastic, Pearson, Weldon Owen and Bauer Media, among others. In her spare time she hosts the 95bFM Jazz Show, DJs around town, bakes and ebikes. 

Annie Martin has taken up the role of South Island Sales Representative. Originally from Toms River, New Jersey, Annie is now resident in Lyttelton and will represent Oratia Books around Te Waipounamu while continuing her employment as a sales and production manager for Smith's Bookshop and Cadsonbury Publications, Christchurch. 

Annie Martin

A graduate of John Cabot University, Rome, Annie speaks basic Italian, is a keen photographer in her spare time and is enjoying getting to know more of New Zealand. She replaces long-time sales agent Jeremy Bliss, who has retired.

Arantxa Zecchini Dowling has begun supporting Oratia in the casual role of Marketing Assistant while she completes her double degree at the University of Auckland this year, studying towards a BA (majoring in politics) and BCom (international business and marketing).

Arantxa Zecchini Dowling

Resident in central Auckland, Arantxa also works as a retail manager for specialist magazine store Mag Nation, and is a keen cook, reader and music fan. She is trilingual in English, Italian and Spanish.

"We're really fortunate to have these three dynamic and talented women contributing to the growth of Oratia Books,"commented Publisher and Founder Peter Dowling.

"Each brings a strong suite of skills within our flexible working set-up. 

"Special thanks to Tony Murdoch at Smith's Bookshop for encouraging Annie to collaborate with Oratia and develop both of our lists." 

Contact details for the new staff are:

Frances Chan – frances@oratia.co.nz

Annie Martin – annie@oratia.co.nz

Arantxa Zecchini Dowling – arantxa@oratia.co.nz 

Oratia Media wins BOP Bologna Prize as Best Children’s Publisher of the Year 2021

MEDIA RELEASE — 15 June 2021

Independent Kiwi publisher garners international award at the world’s largest children’s book fair

West Auckland publishing house Oratia Media has won the BOP Bologna Prize as Best Children’s Publisher of the Year 2021, Oceania at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy. 

 

Oratia had been shortlisted in the Oceania section alongside four outstanding Australian publishers at this year’s virtual fair.

 

The prestigious BOP prize is awarded each year to publishers from six regions ‘for the creative nature of the editorial choices they have made during the previous year.’

 

      Elena Pasoli announces Oratia Media as winner of the BOP Bologna Prize, Oceania section

The prize was announced this morning 15 June NZ time in an online ceremony hosted in Bologna by the fair’s Exhibition Manager Elena Pasoli, President of the International Publishers Association Bodour Al Qasimi, and Italian Publishers Association President Ricardo Franco Levi. 

Oratia was cited as ‘an eclectic publishing house from New Zealand with a strong focus on high-quality editing, design, and printing.’

 

'We are honoured to receive the BOP Bologna Prize, which is a great tribute to our team, authors, illustrators, editors, designers and other partners, and especially to Editorial Director Carolyn Lagahetau,' commented Oratia Books publisher Peter Dowling. 

 

'New Zealand publishes amazing children’s books and this award can only raise international awareness of the creative talent here.' 

 

Click here to view the awards ceremony on Youtube, and here for the winner profile on the Bologna Children's Book Fair website.

About Oratia Media – www.oratia.co.nz

Oratia Media is an independent publisher of mostly New Zealand authors, with a focus on children’s, Māori, history and illustrated books. In 2021 Oratia Books brings 15 new titles to publication, half of which are children’s (mostly picture books). Our publishing reflects a multicultural, inclusive outlook, with many bilingual books in English and te reo Māori.

                          Oratia’s core team (L–R): Alessandra Zecchini, Belinda Cooke, Carolyn Lagahetau and Peter Dowling

Oratia Media Celebrates 20 Years Today

Today marks 20 years since Peter Dowling and Alessandra Zecchini incorporated Oratia Media as a company.

Still going strong two decades on, our small company has changed and grown, while remaining grounded in the ngahere (forest) near the upper end of West Coast Road, Oratia, in the mighty Waitakere Ranges west of Auckland. 

Above all today offers the chance to thank our many clients, readers, collaborators, staff, contractors, family and supporters.  

The original logo: image designed by Alessandra, text by Myong-ok Kim

While publishing has been a core part of what we’ve always done, we chose the name ‘Media’ to reflect our pursuit of different activities (it also sounded good alongside ‘Oratia’!).

At establishment, that involved Alessandra teaching language and culture at the Dante Alighieri Italian Society of Auckland, running cooking classes and contributing food and travel articles to publications in New Zealand, Italy and Japan. 

Food styling with models Patricia Greig and Arantxa Zecchini Dowling (top) and photographer Shaun Cato-Symonds (bottom left)

Peter was then editor-at-large for Tokyo publisher Kozo System, editor and correspondent for Reed Business Information of London, and senior editor on contact to Reed Publishing (NZ) in Birkenhead. 

In 2002 Peter joined Reed NZ full-time as managing editor, later becoming publishing manager until the company’s sale in late 2007.

Over that time Alessandra ramped up her recipe development and food-styling activities, became a regular contributor to magazines including Cuisine, NZ House and Garden and NZ Gardener, launched her first two cookbooks with New Holland Publishers, and created the Festival Italiano through the Dante Society.

Alessandra at the Festival Italiano 2018, received the Ordine della Stella D'Italian honour from Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Marcelli for her services to promoting Italian culture internationally

From 2008 we have worked exclusively through Oratia, with 2009 marking the launch of the company’s own book list, initially under the Libro International brand and since 2016 as Oratia Books. Over that time we’ve published close on 150 books (both our own and for others), while writing and editing several million words in articles, books and reports around the world. 

Our first major commissioned book, the late Graeme Hunt's history of St John in New Zealand, 2009

None of this would have been possible without our clients (for details see https://www.oratia.co.nz/services/), or talented authors and illustrators (thank you to everyone listed at https://www.oratia.co.nz/authors/). Then there are the brilliant booksellers, librarians and teachers who support us, and our fine team of regular and freelance professionals. 

Among the ‘Oratia family’ our heartfelt thanks to Editorial Director Carolyn Lagahetau, who has been a key player since 2008, and to Marketing Consultant Belinda Cooke for her exceptional contribution since 2015.

Taking life seriously with our dream team, from left: designer Cheryl Smith, marketing supremo Belinda Cooke, illustrator Ross Kinnaird, editorial director Carolyn Lagahetau, author Dawn McMillan and Peter

Without wishing to omit anyone, special appreciation to designer Cheryl Smith of Macarn Design and more recently Sarah Elworthy; former marketing manager Isabell Zitzelsberger; editors Mike Bradstock, Susan Brierley, Frances Chan and Patricia Greig; sales reps Jeremy Bliss, Peter Gray, Dennis Morgan and Gary Shannon; Marie Edwards, Toni Hayman, Sue Kellett and team at our distributors Publishers Distribution Ltd; and web designers Isra Salcedo (Humilde Servidor) and Daisuke Hirata (Box Media). 

Carolyn Lagahetau with the late Graeme Leather

And we remember those who are no longer with us: the beloved designer and editor Graeme Leather, sales supremo Paul Greenberg, and authors Trixie Harvey, Graeme Hunt, Gavin McLean, Don Stafford and Pā Henare Tate.

The late Pā Henare Tate (right) with Sister Magdalen Sheahan (centre) receiving the Māori Book Award for his He Puna Iti i te Ao Mārama in 2013

Author Malcolm Paterson with son Davin at the Going West Writers Festival 2016

Student volunteer Coline Rouge promoting our books at the IBBY World Congress in Auckland, 2016

Internationally we count on some fine distributors: thanks to Charles Goulding at John Reed Books (Australia), Joel Cosseboom and Royden Muranaka at University of Hawai’i Press (North America) and Melanie Warren and team at Gazelle Book Services in Lancaster (UK and Europe). Chris Shaw and the crew at Book Systems International get the books from our printers and out to book fairs.

Sub-agents like Fanny Yu at CA-Link in Beijing, Anna Spadolini and her agency in Milan, and Pablo de la Vega at Base Tres in Guadalajara help us reach many markets. 

Peter managing the first-ever New Zealand stand at the Guadalajara International Book Fair, 2017, with assistant Claudia Esqueda

Voluntary and community activities are an important part of Oratia’s culture, with long-standing commitments to the Dante Society, Slowfood Auckland, Te Potiki National Trust (Māori Maps), Oratia District School, Storylines Children’s Literature Foundation and the Publishers Association of New Zealand. 

Paora Tapsell, chair of Te Potiki National Trust, presenting the trust's annual Hawea Vercoe Memorial Scholarship to Ihaka Wilson at Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Rotoiti, September 2019

And to mark the 20^th anniversary, we’ve just agreed new, ongoing sponsorships of the Native Forest Restoration Trust and Outward Bound NZ.

It’s a privilege to be here still after two decades doing the work we love from a place we love. Ngā manaakitanga ki a koutou kātoa i tautoko I a Oratia i ēnei tau i mua, ā, ka mahi ngatahi tonu ā muri ake nei. Grazie e arrivederci al 2040!

Stay Home New Zealand, and read books :-)

As we move into lockdown in Aotearoa to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, our thoughts are with our many friends and colleagues in Italy who have endured weeks of terrible news during their time at home. The Italian campaign Io Resto a Casa (which has its equivalent in #StayHomeNZ) recommended reading as an essential activity while staying at home, and we agree. Oratia will remain open from our home offices during the Level 4 lockdown, and will do whatever we can to help Kiwis have books to read, whether in print or electronic form.

Taking pride in our publishing services

While it is Oratia's successful trade publishing programme that has built the company's profile and reputation in recent years, custom publishing and communications services have always been at the core of its business. 

Peter Dowling and Alessandra Zecchini founded Oratia Media in August 2000 to help organisations and individuals create the best possible books and communications. 

From a small base of clients in Japan, Europe and New Zealand, the company has expanded over almost 20 years to provide companies and authors around the world with a wide range of services. 

Recent book projects undertaken for public policy advocate Owen Gill and Archetype Book Agents 

Book projects have spanned full-colour, hardback company histories to short-run, black & white paperbacks for self-publishing authors.

Books for individuals, charitable societies, clubs and companies

We now advise widely on best options for production and marketing domestically and internationally, drawing on our decades of collective experience in the book business. 

That includes representing books from other publishers and authors at international book fairs, brokering the best print or digital options, and advising on rights and distribution. 

Our own and clients' books at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2019

Annual reports, magazine supplements and articles, special editions and media planning form a further arm of the Oratia Media portfolio.

Having a multicultural staff and network of contributors enables work across cultures in a range of languages, with particular demand for Māori, Italian and Spanish work.

An English-Spanish supplement produced by Oratia in 2016

As a small team we work closely and collaboratively to create the optimal outcome for our partners, making the often complex business of publishing easy to manage. 

So while it is the Oratia Books list that is more visible these days, it is services work that underpins our business. 

Oratia provided all editorial services for The Tindall Foundation's Annual Report in recent year, including 2018/19 (pictured above)

Indeed, we are just as proud of products finished to the requirements of clients as we are of our own books. 

Please get in touch with Peter (peter@oratia.co.nz, 027 614 8993) to find out how we can help you achieve your publishing and communication goals.

Here's what Owen Gill, author of Turning Point Auckland (published February 2019) had to say about working with us:

"Peter Dowling and the team at Oratia made what could have been a dry policy book into a creative tour de force, mostly by bringing outstanding design and editing to the book. The book was published on-budget and on-time, and to a good reception in the media, which was also arranged by Oratia. I strongly recommend Peter and Oratia for private publishing projects like mine."

Oratia Books Catalogue 2019 out now

The Oratia Books Catalogue 2019 is now available in print and PDF formats.

We're pleased to present 11 new books for this year, along with a growing back list.

Here's what the introduction says; click here to view the entire catalogue.

In 2019 Oratia Media marks ten years of publishing our own books, and our nineteenth year as a publishing and media business. To celebrate, Oratia Books brings you at least ten titles that encompass outstanding writing and illustration in both new and revised editions.

There’s a maritime theme in adult hardbacks, with Sir Bob Harvey’s much-awaited Sea Edge celebrating the Waitematā Harbour, and Gavin McLean’s Shipwrecked: New Zealand maritime disasters, while the pensive Home Child follows a group of children shipped from the UK for adoption on the other side of the world.

Our commitment to te Ao Māori deepens with new editions of classic works by Sir Hirini Moko Mead and A.W. Reed, Merata Kawharu and Paul Tapsell’s seminal work on entrepreneurship, and Darryn Joseph’s Whakarongo ki ō Tūpuna, written in te Reo with English translation.

Dawn McMillan and Ross Kinnaird put a new comic spin on the international bestseller I Need a New Bum! with a side-splitting sequel, and Tracy Duncan gives a makeover to the most popular of Melanie Drewery’s Nanny Mihi series. In July we launch the first two titles in The NZ Series, a new non-fiction collection for young adult readers, with works by Gordon Ell and Sarah Ell.