1. Beauty
   Authors ask, what is beauty? What makes someone or something beautiful? How can we deconstruct beauty standards and remove the privilege that is given to those who are considered to be beautiful on a societal level.
2. Good vs Evil
   This is arguably the most well known of all the themes that are around. Think of nearly any book or film, and you will find a good vs evil theme. Broadly this is about how good and evil act as forces in our own lives. Historically, good triumphs over bad – often presented as morally sound people against those who are divergent to systems or expectations. But, increasingly, the shades of meaning come into play, and the definition of what makes someone or something ‘good’ or ‘evil’ is being explored.
3. Coming-of-age
   Many stories – especially those aimed at young people – look at the process of growing up and travelling through the challenging period of growing up. All adults go through this process and therefore consider themselves to be experts at what happens. This is an extension of this thought process. The learning of how to be an adult, and all that comes along with this idea.
4. Loyalty
   From friendships to romantic relationships, loyalty is a cornerstone to what we hold as important between people who are closely linked. Loyalty can be both positive and negative in a context dependent situation. A partner may consider themselves loyal to the other, despite being mistreated or even abused, so the writer may exploit what it means to be loyal and even critique our expectations.
5. Betrayal
   Making errors is part of being a human and betrayal is among the worst of these errors. Like loyalty, betrayal is a key driver in many pieces of literature. And, like loyalty where the question around what is and what is not loyal exists, so too betrayal can be questioned based on the outcomes that follow the betrayal.
6. Life and Death
   Everyone reading a book or watching a film is, by default, alive. And, like the saying the only things certain in life are death and taxes, we will all at some stage have to deal with death. Stories may explore the cyclical nature of life, that being that things come and go. Or it may be the learnings that come from life, and how to pass that on to the next generation.
7. Justice
   The world is not a fair place. There are biases and prejudices wherever you care to look in the make up of our society. Justice is never easy, and it can never be based on logic. Exploring justice is a major theme across many texts,  especially when morals are involved.
8. Family
   The concept of family is one that has been debated for generations. What is family and why is it such an important part of our existence? Basically, how do we, as individuals, fit in? What effect does our family have on our formative (or early and very important) years. Stories with family will look at the dynamics that make up families, and how ideologies or traditions move from one generation to the next. They may also look at betrayal, or loyalty, trust, or love.
9. Power
   Power is something that many humans hope for, be that in life, or in our work, or in our own self (to be an empowered person). Stories that look at power then to ask who attains power, who retains power, and how power is used and abused.
10. Change vs Tradition
    We all must deal with changes that will challenge how we do things. Even entering into relationships may challenge our expectations. Stories often ask if change is necessary and, if it occurs, how does that change get managed? Is it successful? Is it worthy?

The te ao Māori context

All of these ideas are present in Māori literature also.

At Macleans, we define Māori literature as any literature that:

• Is written by someone who identifies as Māori
• Does not have to be directly related to te ao Māori, but is built on the fundamentals of what it is to be Māori
• Is written by anyone, but focused on the tikanga of te ao Māori, and does so in a respectful way. (for example, the Pakeha author Michael King was a well known historian who was able to articulate a lot of the history of Māori through his personal relationships with Māori)

But there are some other themes that can be applied to Māori writers:

1. Connection to the land and the world
   Māori, like many indigenous cultures, have a deep spiritual and physical connection to the land they have traditionally lived on. Stories explore this relationship and how it shapes individual identities.
2. Colonisation impacts
   Many Māori stories reflect on the trauma that has come from losing identity through colonisation. The continuing impact on communities such as loss of land, culture, and identity are key themes for Māori.
3. Oral Storytelling
   Historically, Māori pūrākau – or myths and legends – were told using oral methods that were quite poetic in nature. Using rhythm and rhyme were important for memorability and passing on from one generation to the next. Many Māori writers use symbolism, rhythm, and poetic structures to write in modern times.
4.  Identity and Society
   Characters may struggle to balance indigenous identity with the demands of contemporary society. Some stories grapple with what it means to be indigenous in today’s world.
5. Interconnectedness and spirituality
   Māori see all things as interconnected through a web of spiritual relationships. Some stories explore indigenous belief systems and ceremonies.
   
6. Resistance and Resilience
   In the face of historical oppression, many Māori stories highlight the resistance, endurance, and resilience of the people fighting to retain their sovereignty, land, and culture.