The Fish of Maui = Te Ika a Maaui nā Peter Gossage i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Auckland, N.Z.: Lansdowne, 1981.
Author and illustrator Peter Gossage (1946-2016) began his career working for an advertising agency, while studying graphics and life drawing at Auckland Technical Institute. After spending time in Canada learning silk-screening, Peter returned to Aotearoa to work as a scenic artist in the television industry. It was during this time Peter’s work caught the attention of publisher Charles Strachan who encouraged him to write for children.
Peter’s first book based on Māori mythology; How Maui Found His Mother was published in 1975. The vibrant colours and bold graphic style, paired with the simplicity of his text, brought Māori legends to life for Aotearoa children. His books were among the first available in Aotearoa schools to tell Māori stories.
In 2013, Peter was awarded the Storylines Gaelyn Gordon Award for How Maui Slowed the Sun, which was first published in 1983.
Peter Gossage died at Pakiri on 30 July 2016 just prior to the publication of Maui and Other Māori Legends, a collection of eight of his books.
While Peter’s work falls outside of the kaupapa of this exhibition, his contribution to Aotearoa’s literature is undeniable and he has left a legacy for generations of children to learn from and enjoy.
The Fish of Maui = Te Ika a Maaui nā Peter Gossage i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Auckland, N.Z.: Lansdowne, 1981.
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