| Dictionary of New Zealand Biography | |
|---|---|
| Author(s) |
General Editor, 1983–1990 Professor W. H. Oliver, General Editor, 1990–2003, Dr Claudia Orange, 1,239 individual contributors |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Language | English, Maori |
| Subject(s) | New Zealand biography |
| Genre(s) | Encyclopedia |
| Publisher | Auckland University Press |
| Publication date | 1990–2000 |
| Media type | 5 volumes; also available on-line |
The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography is an encyclopedia or biographical dictionary containing biographies of over 3,000 deceased New Zealanders. It was first published as a series of print volumes from 1990 to 2000, and then on a website from 2002. The dictionary superseded An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand of 1966, which had 900 biographies. The dictionary is managed by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage of the New Zealand Government.
In later decades the dictionary made a conscious effort to move away from the male and Pākehā-dominated coverage of early works to a move representative view of New Zealand. Women who had done well in male-dominated fields (Sybil Audrey Marie Lupp, Amy Isabella Johnston, Mary Jane Lewis, Alice Woodward Horsley, Nora Mary Crawford, etc.) were included, as were Māori, a range of ordinary people (Joseph Zillwood, etc.) and criminals (Edward Raymond Horton, Jessie Finnie, etc.). Many of these people were included because detailed accounts of their lives were readily available, in archives, academic studies and official histories. Others were prolific diarists (Catherine Henrietta Elliot Fulton, Sarah Louise Mathew, Alexander Whisker, James Cox (labourer), etc.).
The dictionary is currently being integrated into Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand as the portion covering people. They are still accepting submissions from the public.[1]
[edit] Accolades
- In 1991, the first print volume won the 1991 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.[2]
- In 2002, Yahoo users in New Zealand and Australia voted the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography website "site of the year".[3]
[edit] References
- ^ "Dictionary of New Zealand Biography biographical database | Ministry for Culture and Heritage". mch.govt.nz. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved 14 December 2011. "We are able to add records to the database, and are particularly interested in people who were active between 1961 and 1980 (even if they are still alive). However, anyone who made a contribution to New Zealand society is eligible for inclusion in the database. Although the person you identify may not be selected for an essay in the Dictionary, his or her details will be retained permanently for the future benefit of researchers."
- ^ "Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards – Literature – Christchurch City Libraries". christchurchcitylibraries.com. 2011 [last update]. Retrieved 14 December 2011.
- ^ Phillips, Jock (2003). "The Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand". New Zealand Journal of History 37 (1): 80–89. Retrieved 1 February 2012.
[edit] External links
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