New Zealand Culture
A Handy Reading List
Our New Zealand Culture Reading List is a selection of books we’ve read before our travels to Aotearoa.It is not a list of guide books for you to peruse but a cultural introduction to the country. There are plenty of facts about New Zealand culture here to keep you interested and informed in preparation for your New Zealand Holiday.
There may even be a few books you want to carry with you on your trip.
Phil and I decided that we would only list what we have read. Now that does perhaps have the disadvantage of being just our personal literary tastes but bear in mind it was the facts about New Zealand Culture we needed to have a wonderful time on holiday in New Zealand.
The first book Phil picked up was The Oxford Illustrated History of New Zealand Edited by Keith Sinclair and he still thumbs it through for useful titbits and to refresh his memory. His second was Don Stafford’s Introducing Maori Culture.
Previously we have both read the Booker prize winner Keri Hulme’s The Bone People. We saw the film then read the book Once Were Warriors by Alan Duff. Likewise with The Whale Rider by Witi Ihimaera.
Here’s our New Zealand bookshelf (The rugby and military titles are solely Phil’s!)
Fiction• The Shag Incident by Stephanie Johnson • Owls Do Cry by Janet Frame • Maori Girl by Noel Hilliard • Katherine Mansfeld, Collected Stories • Frank Sargeson, The Stories of Frank Sargeson • A Good Keen Man by Barry Crump • Pounamu Pounamu by Witi Ihimaera • Died in the Wool by Ngaio Marsh
This photograph is of the renowned New Zealand actress Danielle Cormack playing Katherine Mansfield in a solo theatre piece.
Non Fiction
• Ranginui Walker, Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou: Struggle Without End (perhaps to be read in conjunction with Keith Sinclair’s History of New Zealand) • Willie Apiata VC A Biography (military) • Mark of the Lion by Kenneth Sandford (military) • John Salmon, Native Trees of New Zealand • Claudia Orange, The Treaty of Waitangi • Ann Salmond, Two Worlds • Patricia Burns, Te Rauparaha: A New Perspective
• Michael King, Te Puea• James K Baxter, Collected Poems • Allen Curnow, Early Days Yet: New and Collected Poems • Sonia Davies, Bread and Roses. Autobiography • Greg McGee, Foreskin’s Lament (Rugby) • R A K Mason Collected Poems
To obtain books you may be interested in I would suggest starting at your local library. Then scouting your online sources such as e-bay and amazon (2nd hand of course) as well as many other less notable but no less valuable resources.
As an example Phil has just searched abebooks.co.uk for anything written by Keith Sinclair and it’s returned a second hand copy of his History of New Zealand for 68p. I kid you not! And he also found Don Stafford’s Introducing Maori Culture for £3.73 (Hardback)
If you are based in the UK, particularly London then you can call or visit the Kiwifruits shop in the Royal Opera Arcade behind The Haymarket (behind New Zealand House). They have a large selection of books by New Zealander’s and on New Zealand culture.
Phil has been there often and whilst I shop round the corner in Covent Garden he reads until I have to drag him out… (tee hee)
So don’t dig deep but instead forage around and seek out a few bargains. Charley and I hope you find what you want and it opens the doors wider to New Zealand culture.
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