Monty Soutar

Dr. Monty Soutar ONZM is a distinguished New Zealand historian and author, affiliated with the Māori tribes of Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, and Ngāti Kahungunu. He has dedicated his career to researching and sharing Māori history, serving in roles such as senior lecturer in Māori studies at Massey University and as a member of the Waitangi Tribunal. In recognition of his contributions to Māori and historical research, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2015.

Dr. Soutar is the author of significant works including Ngā Tama Toa: The Price of Citizenship and Whītiki! Whiti! Whiti! E!, which document Māori participation in the World Wars. In 2021, he received the Creative New Zealand Michael King Writer's Fellowship to complete his historical fiction trilogy, Kāwai. The first book, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This, became the best-selling New Zealand fiction title of 2022. The second installment, Kāwai: Tree of Nourishment, continues to explore the impact of colonization on Māori communities.