The Humanities Research Network.

Linking minds and energies in the arts, culture and the humanities

The Humanities Research Network Te Whatunga Rangahau Aronui (HRN) is a dynamic database of individuals, organisations and activity in the wider humanities sector.

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Creative Commons provides free tools that let authors, scientists, artists, and educators easily mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry. The Council for the Humanities leads the project to establish Creative Commons Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Aronui banner derived from John Edgar sculpture “Red Cross” 1999, media: andesite, granite

AWARDS

Page Navigation :: Pou Aronui Award | Fellowship of the Humanities Council of New Zealand (FHCNZ) Te Mātanga O Te Whāinga Aronui | Innovative Research in the Humanities/Aronui | The HUMANZ/Callen Prize | Humanities Essay Prize

The Council believes that recognising distinguished accomplishment in the humanities/aronui is a very important part of its role.

Pou Aronui Award

This award is an honorary title bestowed on suitable persons who have provided distinguished service to the humanities-aronui. It is an award that recognises contributory and dedicated service to the humanities-aronui over a sustained period.

This service is demonstrated by one or more of the following: a record of service to a national organisation or agency (this can include a professional career in an appropriate institution that does not require research outputs); significant contributions to public policy in the area of humanities-aronui; and sustained public recognition or promotion of the humanities-aronui.

The Pou Aronui award was made for the first time in 2006. The recipient, Dr James Wharehuia Milroy (Ngāi Tuhoe), received his award from Hon Steve Maharey, Minister of Research, Science and Technology, at a ceremony in Parliament.

For the 2008 Call for Nominations, click here.

Fellowship of the Humanities Council of New Zealand (FHCNZ) Te Mātanga O Te Whāinga Aronui

For more details, click here

For the 2008 Call for Nominations, .click here

Innovative Research in the Humanities/Aronui

Plans are nearly complete for the offering of prizes recognising innovative research and publication to new researchers in the humanities-aronui.

The HUMANZ/Callen Prize

This prize is offered annually as the result of a gift. It is given annually to the top student in English Literature Honours at Victoria University of Wellington.

Humanities Essay Prize

The Humanities Award Secondary School Writing Competion

Sponsored by
New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
Royal Society of New Zealand
Te Whāinga Aronui The Council for the Humanities
Humanities knowledge is about finding answers to the questions,

  • What does it mean to be human?
  • What does it mean to be an informed and active citizen in a twenty-first century democratic society?

The Humanities Award is for Year 12 and 13 secondary school students. Two awards are presented annually. The award winning essays each receive $1,500.
Regulations
Two awards are provided annually by the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, in association the Royal Society of New Zealand and Te Whāinga Aronui The Council for the Humanities under the conditions set out below:

Applicants must be:

  • New Zealand citizens or have New Zealand permanent resident status; and
  • Enrolled at a New Zealand secondary high school in years 12 or 13 at time of submission.

1. The value of each award shall be $1500.00.

2. Acceptance of the award does not entail any legal obligations on the part of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Society of New Zealand and Te Whāinga Aronui The Council for the Humanities or the recipient to offer or accept any employment during vacations or at the completion of secondary school.

3. New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Society of New Zealand and Te Whāinga Aronui The Council for the Humanities undertake not to use or disclose to any agency the names of applicants for the purposes of selling.

4. New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Society of New Zealand and Te Whāinga Aronui The Council for the Humanities reserve the right to use the names, photographs and details of the successful recipients for promotional purposes.

5. Submissions for this award can be in a variety of written formats, e.g. essay, theatre or film script, journal, letters, documentary, diary.

6. The word limit is 2000 words.

7. In making this award the following factors will be considered:

a. Quality of expression;
b. Interpretation and critical thought; and
c. Innovative ideas.
The topic for the writing competition in 2007 was: “Being a New Zealander ….”
The 2007 judges were writer and comedienne Jo Randerson, and Professor John Drummond, Associate Dean of Humanities Division, University of Otago. The winners were announced at a special assembly at Otago Girls High School on 9 October.
The 2007 winners were:
Phoebe Harrop, New Plymouth Girls High School,
The New New Zealander - Life in the 21st Century

and Susan Smirk, Otago Girls High School,
Being a New Zealander: Letters From Our Land

Highly commended were essays by:
Anna Wu, Epsom Girls Grammar,
Being a New Zealander... and the accidental search of the humanities

and Jess Fiebig, Papanui High School,
Being a New Zealander
The topic was “Being a New Zealander”, and the judges were impressed by the sincerity, self-awareness and conviction expressed in all the essays.
Professor Ken Strongman, Chair of the Council for the Humanities, said “It was very pleasing that the values of free speech, independence of thought, and respect for other cultures and languages than English were strongly affirmed as defining attributes of New Zealanders, whatever their ethnic origin.”
Susan Smirke evoked the voice of the land of Aotearoa New Zealand, addressing its peoples in their diversity of origin: “you must learn to share these unique lands. You must learn that I, New Zealand, do not belong to you - but you, all, can belong to New Zealand. Remember that all is a gift, and one meant to share.”
Phoebe Harrop wrote, “I like to think of New Zealanders as making up one giant patchwork: each section of material is a different ancestry that maintains its pattern, but is stitched to other cultures with the thread of shared “kiwi” values. The result? A marvellous, intricate, diverse and simply beautiful quilt.”
Writer and playwright, Lynda Chanwai-Earle, who also judged the entries, will travel to New Plymouth to meet Phoebe and acknowledge her achievement at the school end of year prizegiving on 15 November.
The Humanities Award is the result of collaboration between the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO, the Royal Society of New Zealand, and Te Whainga Aronui The Council for the Humanities. Future topics will ask students to respond to a current issue from the perspective of what it means to be an informed and active citizen in a twenty-first century democratic society.

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