Recs if you like Kāwai For Such A Time As This...

Disclaimer: I am not Pacific Islander, but we should all strive to read more Pasifika authors!

The grouping of Pasifika and Asian communities has a complex history. And because of this grouping, Pasifika authors are largely underrepresented.

Check out Pacific Islanders in Publishing (I cannot figure out how to hyperlink, sorry) for more recs!

I have not read all of the books on this list, so please let me know if any are not fit for this list!

Suggestions are always welcome!

Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week has been celebrated in New Zealand since 1975. It acknowledges and celebrates the Māori language as a unique cultural treasure for all New Zealanders. The 2026 Theme builds on "Ake, Ake, Ake" with "Te Reo Towns. A celebration of the communities who have kept te reo Māori alive, and an invitation for all of Aotearoa to help it flourish into the future." The week commences 14th September NZT.

I love a good historical fiction novel, and sometimes the ones based on a real event, person, or disaster really bring out those human emotions we deserve to simmer in for a bit. From heartache and heroism to life and loss, these novels take the reader on a journey and lead them through all sorts of emotions along the way. More novels will be added to this list as I read them, and I am always on the look out for more historical fiction recommendations.

Whether it be the authors, the characters, the setting, or the country itself, these books are some of the essential reads of Aotearoa New Zealand. Fiction to nonfiction, prose to poetry, the stories of our people and our land are here. This list is ever-growing, and I will continue to add to it as I read more pukapuka from our shores.