Zeb Tamihana Nicklin
Zeb Tamihana’s books (1)
Although Zeb wasn’t raised in Pāhauwera, he and his family would often return to his ancestral rohe: he remains connected through whakapapa and community and identifies strongly with his iwi. A passionate educator, he has taught te reo Māori for over 17 years and is a licensed translator under Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission).
He describes his creative work as ‘a bird flying’ in te reo – a writing practice guided by language, accuracy, and cultural integrity. ‘Tin Canning’ (2023), his non-fiction essay, won Best Māori Language Essay at the 2023 Pikihuia Awards. His short stories ‘Taku Koha ki a Tangaroa' and ‘Taku Rua Rau' were published in Huia Short Stories 11 (2015) and were finalists in the Pikihuia Awards.
Nicklin’s non-fiction and essays appear prominently in E‑Tangata and Stuff, where he writes on themes such as language revitalisation and Māori culture. He is known for articulating how te reo Māori is pivotal in connecting to cultural identity and resisting generational language loss.
