The 2003 Montana New Zealand Book Awards will include for the first time an award that recognises excellence in books written in te reo Maori.
The 2003 Montana New Zealand Book Awards will include for the first time an award that recognises excellence in books written in te reo Maori.
An independent judge will be appointed for the award, which will carry a prize of $5000. The Maori Language Award will be judged for outstanding literary merit and contribution to the literature of Aotearoa New Zealand. All submissions written entirely in te reo Maori, both fiction and non-fiction, will be considered for this award.

Linda Henderson, chair of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards Management Committee, says that the Maori Language Award marks a milestone for the awards. "It is timely that the award is introduced. It recognises the expansion of Maori literature and Maori language publishing in New Zealand."

Robyn Rangihuia Bargh, Managing Director of Maori publishing company Huia Publishers agrees. "The book industry and the sponsors, Montana, are to be congratulated for their decision. It is wonderful that we are now able to acknowledge and reward books written in both our national languages."

The Montana New Zealand Book Awards are administered by Booksellers New Zealand on behalf of the Montana New Zealand Book Awards Management Committee. The principal sponsors of the Awards are Montana Wines and Creative New Zealand.

Call for Entry documents, outlining all eligibility criteria and conditions of entry, and entry forms are available from Booksellers New Zealand (Tel: 04-478 5511 or Email: jayne.wasmuth@booksellers.co.nz ). Entry forms have been sent to all publisher members of Booksellers New Zealand. All submissions to the 2003 Montana New Zealand Book Awards should be forwarded to Booksellers New Zealand by 31 December 2002.

Winners will be announced at a gala ceremony in Christchurch on 22 July 2003.