Maui and the Big Fish nā Kāterina Mataira i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1972.
Dame Kāterina Mataira (Ngāti Porou, 1932-2011) was a visionary educationalist and key figure in the revitalisation of te reo Maōri. Her numerous achievements in this area include teaching the first Māori language immersion class in a state school (in 1956), developing the Ātaarangi model of language learning, involvement in the establishment of Kohanga Reo, then the first Kura Kaupapa, and a founding member of the Māori Language Commission.
A skilled artist and storyteller, Mataira wrote, illustrated, translated and collaborated on a large number of books. Her passion for writing began when she was asked by Hoani Waititi to write stories for the Māori language journal Te Wharekura. She went on to write what is thought to be the first reo Māori science fiction book, Te Atea, illustrated by Para Matchitt. It describes through poetic verse survivors of an apocalyptic event who travel into space in search of a new life. Mataira was a talented illustrator as well. In Maui and the Big Fish, Mataira brings her retelling of te ika a Māui vividly to life. She also provided illustrations for several educational publications, such as the stories about the Tainui rangatira Kaihamu displayed in the exhibition.
Maui and the Big Fish nā Kāterina Mataira i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Christchurch, N.Z.: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1972.
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