Support Our Paid Mentorship Programme For Māori Writers

Māori are writing stories that can change the world. Many of these stories sit in draft, waiting to be nurtured. Te Papa Tupu is the arawhata/ladder for emerging Māori voices, taking them on a 6-month journey to transform their ideas into works ready for publication.

For many Māori, Te Papa Tupu represents not merely an opportunity but a second chance; for those who've juggled the demands of full-time work, parenthood, and the myriad responsibilities that life imposes, who have been forced to sideline their passions due to a lack of time or finances. By offering a stipend, mentorship and time, Te Papa Tupu empowers these voices, enabling them to immerse themselves in their writing for six months.

Te Papa Tupu is about nurturing whakapapa: tuakana/mentors and teina/mentorees circulate knowledge, with many alumni returning to the programme as mentors. Te Papa Tupu is a space created by Māori, with Māori and for Māori.

The operational costs of running Te Papa Tupu are substantial, from financially supporting our kaituhi/writers to organising workshops and attending Writers Festivals. We need to raise $30,000 to nurture this new generation of Māori writers.

Your koha/donation is more than a contribution; it's a legacy. It's an affirmation that every Māori story deserves to be heard, an investment in a future where our children can see themselves in the stories that shape our world. Join us in this mission, and together, let's write a new chapter for Māori literature.