Pukunui and his Friend Moata Moa nā James Waerea i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Auckland, N.Z.: Macmillan, 1981.
Writer, cartoonist, radio announcer, television host and teacher, James Waerea (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Arawa, 1940-2019) was born in Nuhaka, Hawkes Bay in 1940. A talented singer, Waerea was a member of the Howard Morrison Quartet before pursuing a career in teaching. In 1962 he became Aotearoa’s first Māori television presenter when he hosted the weekly music show In the Groove.
While working as a teacher, Waerea was frustrated by the lack of books written specifically for the children of Aotearoa, which inspired him to write and illustrate a series of books featuring the adventures of a young Māori boy named Pukunui. Waerea created the series to help children learn te reo and teach the values of te ao Māori.
The first draft of Pukunui was finished in 1962 but Waerea struggled to find a publisher willing to include te reo Māori. Pukunui was finally released in 1978 and three more books followed. The books were written in English, with simple te reo words and phrases incorporated into the illustrations. Pronunciation guides were included in the back of each book.
Initially, Waerea faced criticism for what was seen as a stereotypical portrayal of a Māori boy, but by 1982 his books were recommended reading in primary schools.
In 2009, the Taka Rua Theatre Group adapted the Pukunui characters for a production at Te Papa.
Pukunui and his Friend Moata Moa nā James Waerea i tuhituhi, i whakaahuatia. Auckland, N.Z.: Macmillan, 1981.
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