The NZSA Waitangi Day Literary Honours are awarded each year to one or more New Zealand writers. They are an initiative of the New Zealand Society of Authors (Pen NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa and were first given out in 2014.
The NZSA Waitangi Day Literary Honours are an annual award made by the Board of the New Zealand Society of Authors (Pen NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa (NZSA) after a call for nominations from NZSA members. They are given to one or more candidates to celebrate and acknowledge literary success, especially on the international stage.
This Award, first given out in 2014, is described by NZSA Past-President Kyle Mewburn as âÂÂthe only literary award bestowed by peersâÂÂ. 2016 Recipient Anna Smaill said that âÂÂItâÂÂs a real honour to be recognised in this way by the NZSAâ and Selina Tusitala Marsh said in 2017, âÂÂFaâÂÂafetai tele lava for this lovely acknowledgment.â Ashleigh Young said in 2018, âÂÂI canâÂÂt express how much it means to be given such an acknowledgement.â ÃÂ
The Awards are announced each year on or around Waitangi Day.
2014: Damien Wilkins, Owen Marshall, Ted Dawe, Martin Edmond
2015: Eleanor Catton, Phillip Mann, Anthony McCarten
2016: Anna Smaill, Paul Cleave
2017: Selina Tusitala Marsh
2018: Ashleigh Young
2019: Lani Wendt Young and Liam McIlvanney
2020: Rachael King and Lee Murray
2022: Laura Jean McKay