Rachel Buchanan
Born
Rachel Anne Buchanan

1968 (age 55–56)
Whanganui, New Zealand
Occupations
  • Author
  • historian
  • curator
Children3
RelativesBill English (uncle)
Academic background
Alma materMonash University (PhD)
ThesisVillage of peace, village of war: Parihaka stories 1881-2004 (2005)
Academic work
Notable worksTe Motunui Epa (2022)

Rachel Anne Buchanan (born 1968) is a New Zealand author, historian and curator. Based in Melbourne, she has written extensively on New Zealand Māori history, including notably her work Te Motunui Epa for which she was a joint recipient of the Ernest Scott Prize in 2023.

Life and career

Buchanan was born in Whanganui in 1968,[1] and is the daughter of paediatrician Leo Buchanan and his wife Mary English, the older sister of Bill English.[2] She is part of the iwi (tribes) of Taranaki and Te Ātiawa.[3] She graduated from Wellington Polytechnic with a diploma in journalism in 1985, and later earned her PhD in history from Monash University.[1] Her PhD thesis about Parihaka was inspired by a 2000 exhibition at the City Gallery called "Parihaka: the Art of Passive Resistance".[4] As of 2023 Buchanan is based in Melbourne.[3][5] Her mentor is Mahara Okeroa, also of the Taranaki iwi.[5]

Her historical writing includes The Parihaka Album: Lest We Forget (2009), Stop Press: The Last Days of Newspapers (2013) and Ko Taranaki te Maunga (2018).[1] She has said she was inspired to write Ko Taranaki te Maunga, a history of the events at Parihaka interwoven with her own family history, by her late father, who had been the "keeper of memory and whakapapa" for her family.[6] From 2015 to 2018 she was the curator of the Germaine Greer archives at the University of Melbourne.[7]

Buchanan's illustrated historical work Te Motunui Epa was published in 2022 by Bridget Williams Books. It tells the story of five carved tōtara panels (whakairo) that were hidden by Te Ātiawa during 19th century wars, sold overseas in the 1970s and returned to New Zealand in 2014. As of 2023 they are displayed at Puke Ariki. The work was described by Te Ao Māori News as "a compelling illustrated narrative that draws on government documents recently made public to convey a tale of art, ancestry, and power".[3] It was shortlisted for the award for illustrated non-fiction at the 2023 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.[8]

In 2023 Buchanan was the joint winner of the Ernest Scott Prize for Te Motunui Epa, together with historian Alan Atkinson. The award is for distinguished historical writing that contributes to the history of New Zealand or Australia, and the judges said of Buchanan's work:[5]

This book is an exemplar of modern history writing in Aotearoa New Zealand; it is also elegant and sophisticated and a cracking good read.

Selected works

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Buchanan, Rachel Anne, 1968-". National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  2. ↑ "'Playful, eccentric' paediatrician changed the lives of Kiwi children". Stuff. 4 November 2017. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 Wikaire-Lewis, Mana (22 November 2022). "New book tells historic global journey of Te Motunui Epa to return home". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  4. ↑ Murray, Justine (2 November 2018). "Dr Rachel Buchanan: 'The shame of Parihaka is so great it can never end'". Radio New Zealand. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 McDonald, Kelvin (10 June 2023). "Māori author's book about stolen Taranaki carvings wins major Australasian prize". Te Ao Māori News. Retrieved 11 June 2023.
  6. ↑ Coster, Deena (10 September 2018). "New book weaves author's personal story of Parihaka with its history of loss and reconciliation". Stuff. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  7. ↑ "Archives and special collections | The Germaine Greer Archive | About the project". University of Melbourne. 18 November 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2023.
  8. ↑ Mahon-Heap, Jonny (8 March 2023). "2023 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards finalists revealed, record number of Māori writers". Stuff. Retrieved 12 June 2023.
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