Keri Kaa

File:Keri Kaa CNZM (cropped).jpg

Hohi Ngapera Te Moana Keri Kaa {{post-nominals|country=NZL|CNZM|QSO|size=85%}} (1942{{spnd}}26 August 2020) was a New Zealand writer, educator, and advocate for the Māori language.{{cite web|title=Mana of Maori women in film and TV growing|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/136159/mana-of-maori-women-in-film-and-tv-growing|website=Radio New Zealand |date=27 May 2013 |access-date=10 April 2016}} She was of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu descent.{{cite book|last1=Metge|first1=Joan|title=Tauira: Maori Methods of Learning and Teaching|date=2015|publisher=Auckland University Press|location=Auckland|isbn=9781869408220}}

Family and education

Kaa was born in 1942 in Rangitukia on New Zealand's East Cape. Her father was the Reverend Tipi Whenua Kaa, from Rangitukia, who was vicar of the Waiapu parish and her mother Hohipene Kaa (formerly Whaanga) was from Wairoa.{{cite journal|title=Keri Kaa and Amster Reedy Head Students' Association|journal=Te Ao Hou|date=December 1963|volume=45|page=34|url=http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/issue/Mao45TeA/c15.html|access-date=10 April 2016}} Kaa was one of 12 children: her siblings include her late brother Hone Kaa, Anglican church leader and child welfare advocate, her late sister Arapera Blank, a writer and poet, and her late brother Wi Kuki Kaa, a well-known actor.{{cite web|title=Wi Kuka Kaa – Biography|url=http://www.nzonscreen.com/person/wi-kuki-kaa/biography|website=NZ On Screen |access-date=10 April 2016}}

Kaa attended Queen Victoria School for Māori Girls and Auckland Girls' Grammar. She spent a year in America after high school on an American Field Service scholarship and then attended Ardmore Teachers' College where in her second year she became the first woman to be the College President.{{cite journal|last1=Kaa|first1=Keri|title=Exchange Scholarships to Foster International Friendship|journal=Te Ao Hou|date=December 1965|volume=53|page=53|url=http://teaohou.natlib.govt.nz/journals/teaohou/issue/Mao53TeA/c27.html|access-date=10 April 2016}} She graduated with her teaching diploma in 1964; in 2013 she completed a Master of Arts through Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

Career

Kaa taught at primary schools in Rangitukia, Wellington and the Hawke's Bay, Wellington High School, and secondary schools in the Hutt Valley. For fifteen years she was a lecturer at Wellington Teachers College, where she played a significant part in the founding and running of the college marae, Te Ako Pai. During her time in Wellington Kaa was involved with the Haeata Women's Collective (a group of Māori women artists), the Herstory diary project, the Waiata Koa collective and in organising vibrant book launches, for Patricia Grace's The Kuia & the Spider Te Kuia me Te Pūngāwerewere, which she translated into Māori with Hirini Melbourne; and, at Te Ako Pai, for Keri Hulme's the bone people.{{cite web|last1=Evans|first1=Marian|title=Keri Kaa & 'Taka Ki Ro Wai'|url=https://medium.com/spiral-collectives/keri-kaa-taka-ki-ro-wai-ee531cbe6d83#.mxvfm1r6j|website=Spiral Collectives|access-date=10 April 2016|date=29 February 2016}}

After returning to Rangitukia, Kaa both taught and studied at the Te Wananga o Raukawa campus at Hicks Bay.

In addition to her education work, Kaa was also involved in Māori theatre, film-making and television.{{cite web|last1=Denby|first1=Mark|last2=Grace-Smith|first2=Briar|title=Māori theatre – te whare tapere hōu|url=http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/maori-theatre-te-whare-tapere-hou/page-3|website=Te Ara – The Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand|access-date=10 April 2016}} Her contribution was recognised in 2010 when she was profiled by Māori Television for their series on Māori leaders 'E Tu Kahikitea'.{{cite web|last1=Evans|first1=Marian|title=Keri Kaa interview with Ngahuia Wade|url=http://wellywoodwoman.blogspot.co.nz/2010/10/keri-kaa-interview-with-ngahuia-wade.html|website=Wellywood Woman|access-date=10 April 2016|date=14 October 2010}} Her contribution was also recognised with two special awards from WIFT (Women in Film and Television) New Zealand.

Kaa was also a strong advocate for the Māori language (te reo Māori). Her children's book Taka Ki Ro Wai, written in the Waiapu dialect of Māori, won the inaugural Māori language category in the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults and recognised in the National Design Awards for creative director Martin Page's work.{{cite web|title=Writer and poet Keri Kaa|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/teahikaa/audio/20152053/writer-and-poet-keri-kaa|website=Radio New Zealand |access-date=10 April 2016|date=30 December 2014}} The book was selected by the German Internationale Jugendbibliothek (International Youth Library) in its annual list of 'recently published books considered noteworthy due to their universal theme or their exceptional artistic and literary style'.{{cite news|last1=Peters|first1=Mark|title=More accolades for Keri Kaa's book|url=http://gisborneherald.co.nz/localnews/1965883-135/more-accolades-for-kuias-book|access-date=10 April 2016|work=Gisborne Herald |date=30 October 2015}}

Kaa died on 26 August 2020, aged 78.{{Cite web|title=Keri Kaa shared gifts of her tipuna|url=https://www.waateanews.com/waateanews/x_news/MjUzNzc/Paakiwaha/Keri-Kaa-shared-gifts-of-her-tipuna|access-date=27 August 2020|website=www.waateanews.com|date=26 August 2020 |language=en}}

Awards and recognition

2016 Ngā Tohu ā Tā Kingi Ihaka (Lifetime of service to Māori arts), 2016 Creative New Zealand Te Waka Toi Awards{{cite web|title=Honouring contributions to Māori arts with 2016 Te Waka Toi Awards|url=http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/news/honouring-contributions-to-maori-arts-with-2016-te-waka-toi-awards|website=Creative New Zealand|access-date=12 September 2016}}
2014 Inaugural Māori Language Award for the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults{{cite news|title=Book award for Ngati Porou woman|url=http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/248006/book-award-for-ngati-porou-woman|access-date=10 April 2016|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=24 June 2014}}
2013 Women in Film & Television (WIFT) New Zealand Mana Wahine Award{{cite web|title=WIFT Mana Wahine award to Keri Kaa|url=http://www.manawairoa.com/korero-kiriata-blog/wift-mana-wahine-award-to-keri-kaa|website=Mana Wairoa|access-date=10 April 2016}}
2012 Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to Māori and the arts, in the 2013 New Year Honours{{cite web|title=New Years Honours 2013 |url=https://dpmc.govt.nz/publications/new-year-honours-list-2013 |website=Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet |date=31 December 2012 |access-date=22 June 2020}}{{cite web|title=Maori Affairs Minister on New Year's Honours recipients|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1212/S00411/maori-affairs-minister-on-new-years-honours-recipients.htm|website=Scoop.co.nz|access-date=10 April 2016|date=31 December 2012}}
2010 WIFT Te Whaea Whakaata Taonga Award{{cite web|title=2010 WIFT NZ Award recipients|url=http://www.wiftnz.org.nz/news/2010/8/9/stop-the-press-here-are-our-2010-award-winners!.aspx|website=Women in Film and Television New Zealand|access-date=10 April 2016}}
2000 Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service in the 2001 New Year Honours{{cite web|title=New Year Honours: Complete awards list|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/honoured-new-zealanders/news/article.cfm?c_id=513&objectid=166820|website=The New Zealand Herald |access-date=10 April 2016|date=1 June 2003}}

Keri Kaa

Family and education

Career

Awards and recognition

References

Further reading