Brunching at the Poverty Bay Club on a warm January morning Stan explained how he had been working on this book for a while and could not wait to get it finished saying, “I want to make copies available as a resource for the five marae groups, and to spur others on to do the same."

Stan is one of 20 recipients of our 2021-2022 Mātauranga Māori Grants.

The book, Stories of old urupā within Turanga nui a Kiwa (2022) was launched recently at the Tai Rawhiti Trust Buildings in Gisborne. The event was minimised due to Covid 19 but very well received by those who were present.

Matene Simon, Programme Coordinator/Pou Whaihanga Māori Built Heritage at Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, worked with Stan last year on his application and attended the book launch. Matene recalls “Stan described storytelling as a bridge between the past and present. He encouraged the younger generations to write as much as possible."

The funding enabled Stan to complete his book project about the urupā associated with five marae from Manutuke to Whāngārā Mai i Tawhiti on the East Coast of the North Island.

Stan is already working on his next book which will be full of stories. He uses a whariki (woven mat) as a template for his writing. “Stories are like whariki, I try to weave everything in,” he says.