New Zealand literature is literature, both oral and written, produced by the people of New Zealand. It often deals with New Zealand themes, people or places, is written predominantly in New Zealand English, and features Māori culture and the use of the Māori language. Before the arrival and settlement of Europeans in New Zealand in the 19th century, Māori culture had a strong oral tradition. Early European settlers wrote about their experiences travelling and exploring New Zealand. The concept of a "New Zealand literature", as distinct from English literature, did not originate until the 20th century, when authors began exploring themes of landscape, isolation, and the emerging New Zealand national identity. Māori writers became more prominent in the latter half of the 20th century, and Māori language and culture have become an increasingly important part of New Zealand literature.
Illustrations of the morepork (left) and the extinct laughing owl (right) by John Gerrard Keulemans in Walter Buller's A History of the Birds of New Zealand. 2nd edition. Published 1888.
Katherine Mansfield
Witi Ihimaera at the premiere of his play, All My Sons, at the Circa Theatre, Wellington, on 11 November 2015
Karlo Mila MNZM
Kathleen Mansfield Murry was a New Zealand writer and critic who was an important figure in the modernist movement. Her works are celebrated across the world, and have been published in 25 languages.
Katherine Mansfield
Katherine Mansfield's birthplace, Thorndon, New Zealand
Mansfield in 1912