Monty Soutar
Monty Soutar, ONZM (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa) is a professional historian and best-selling novelist. He has written two novels of a planned trilogy that bring New Zealand history to life. The books feature characters and stories informed by his own family history. The first book in the series, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This, was short-listed for the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction at the 2023 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. The second book in the series Kāwai, Tree of Nourishment has been a best-seller since its launch last year. His works of historical scholarship include, Nga Tama Toa, which tells the story of C Company 28 (Māori) Battalion in the Second World War and Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E! which focuses on Māori participation in World War I. Over the years, Monty has worn many hats: teacher, soldier, university lecturer, iwi runanga chief executive and Senior Historian for the Ministry of Culture and Heritage. He was a Waitangi Tribunal member from 2002 to 2024.
2025 festival sessions
Kāwai: The Trilogy
Monty Soutar in conversation with Peter Meihana
12:00pm-1:00pm, Saturday 19 July, Whitehaven Room, ASB Theatre Marlborough, $25
Monty Soutar discusses his extraordinary historical novels - Kāwai: For Such a Time as This (2022) and Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment (2024), the first two novels of a planned trilogy. The novels reveal pre-colonial and European-encounter Aotearoa New Zealand, as it has never been told before. The first book in the series, For Such a Time As This, tells the enthralling story of the legendary warrior Kaitanga. The second book in the series, Kāwai: The Tree of Nourishment, follows Kaitanga’s granddaughter and her two sons through from the arrival of European whales and missionaries through to the Treaty of Waitangi. Monty Soutar hopes his Kāwai series will reveal the role of colonisation in shaping Aotearoa New Zealand, balanced with an honest appraisal of the country in pre-colonial times.
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An Hour with Monty Soutar
Monty Soutar in conversation with Emma Tucker
3.45pm-4.45pm, Saturday 19 July, Anderson Theatre, ASB Theatre Marlborough, $25
Monty Soutar reflects on his life story from boyhood in Ruatoria in the Gisborne region to writing significant works of history. His history books include Nga Tama Toa, The Price of Citizenship which told the story of C Company 28 (Māori) Battalion in World War II and Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E! which focused on Māori participation in World War I. His bestselling Kāwai series of fiction is infused with his deep knowledge of history. He looks back at a rich life of academic and social contribution and his pivot to sharing history through fiction.
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Then and Now - Fresh perspectives on history telling
Monty Soutar, Peter Meihana, Richard Shaw in conversation with Liz Ward
9:30am-10.30am, Sunday 20 July, Whitehaven Room, ASB Theatre Marlborough
Whether it’s a knack for making the academic accessible or a talent for weaving real events through fiction, these writers are telling Aotearoa New Zealand history in fresh, engaging ways. Panel facilitator Marlborough Heritage Manager Liz Ward asks the writers about telling history in ways that resonate with today’s reader.
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