Dictionary of New Zealand Biography Publication Project
Volume 4 of the DNZB
The DNZB approach
When the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography project began in 1983 its aim was to produce a publication that would reflect the history of New Zealand through the lives of its people – men and women, Māori and Pākehā, nationally famous figures and locally significant individuals. By 2000 it had produced five volumes, including the stories of over 3,000 people no longer living who were active between 1769 and 1960. In addition, five companion Māori language volumes and a number of subsidiary publications were produced. The first volume of the Dictionary won the Goodman Fielder Wattie book of the year award and the book production category of the New Zealand Book Awards in 1991.
The 'floruit' principle
The published volumes of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography contain around 600 essays each, on New Zealanders who first 'made their mark' during the period covered by the volume. This method of organising the series, based on when people flourished, is known as the 'floruit' principle. Only deceased individuals were selected for inclusion in the DNZB, so that some sense of perspective on their lives would be possible.
Selection and commissioning
In order to achieve a wide representation of people from all walks of life, the DNZB collected information on interesting individuals to build its biographical database. Much of the information was provided by regional and specialist working parties and by DNZB researchers. This data was analysed for regional, gender, ethnic and occupational characteristics of all the people eligible for selection before the final name list for each volume was decided. Then an appropriate author was commissioned to write each biography: over 1,235 authors, including academics and people with a specialist interest or knowledge, wrote for the five volumes.
Ten new biographies of prominent New Zealanders will be published each year on the website from 2006.
Former DNZB staff
The first general editor was Professor W. H. Oliver. He was succeeded in 1990 by Dr Claudia Orange, who was general editor until 2003. At the project's height, around 20 people were employed, but in 2000 at the end of the scheduled publication programme, numbers were reduced to a small residual unit of several staff.
Publications
The DNZB's book publications are described below. If you would like to purchase any of these books and cannot find them at your local bookstore, please contact:
Auckland University Press
University of Auckland
Private Bag 92019
Auckland
New Zealand
Telephone: 64 9 373 7528
Fax: 64 9 373 7465
Email: aup@auckland.ac.nz
The main DNZB series
- The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , 1769-1869 (1990)
- The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , 1870-1900 (1993)
- The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , 1901-1920 (1996)
- The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , 1921-1940 (1998)
- The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , 1941-1960 (2000, out of print)
The Maori language volumes
- Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1769-1869 (1990)
- Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1870-1900 (1994)
- Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1901-1920 (1996)
- Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1921-1940 (1998)
- Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1941-1960 (2000)
Other publications available
- Te Kīngitanga: The People of the Māori King Movement (1996)
Biographies of 14 Kīngitanga leaders accompanied by an introduction, 'The King Movement's first hundred years', by Angela Ballara. - The People of Many Peaks (1991)
Companion volume to Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau, 1769-1869: English-language versions of the Māori biographies. - The Turbulent Years, 1870–1900 (1994)
Companion volume to Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau, 1870–1900: English-language versions of the Māori biographies from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography , Volume Two, illustrated and with an introductory essay by Claudia Orange. - Māpihi kahurangi (1993)
Selected Māori-language biographies from Ngā Tāngata Taumata Rau , 1769–1869, with illustrations. - The Suffragists: women who worked for the vote (1993) Essays on suffragists from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography with an introductory essay by Dorothy Page.
- A People's History (1992, out of print)
An illustrated selection of biographies from the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, Volume One.