Maori Writers Read

Tu Tangata, Issue 14, 1 October 1983, Page 43

Maori Writers Read

The “Maori Writers Read” series to be held over Labour Weekend Oct 21-23 aims to present strong Maori literature. It’ll back up the considerable body of publication that has “assisted in halting New Zealand’s monocultural perception of itself and... helped force a reconsideration of the national identity as being... beneficiary of both Maori and Pakeha cultural heritages.” (“Into the World of Light” Ihimaera, Long). As well as promotion in a visible and performance sense the series will financially support publications by Maori writers, the first two publications being “The Bone People” a novel by the Kati Tahu writer Keri Hulme, and “The House of the Talking Cat” short stories by J.C. Sturm of Taranaki, both books soon to be released by “Spiral”. Main organiser, Janet Potiki, is interested in providing a “quality performing space” for the writers, and at the same time help maintain the high profile that Maori visual artists already have in New Zealand and overseas. Two works will be exhibited at The Depot (the venue for Writers Read). The installation by Matt Pine is from his ‘Pataka’ series. This work, being a floor installation, will define the space in which performances take place. Darcy

Nicholas’s environmental installation ‘Ancestral Images’ will provide a backdrop to the performance space. Janet wants to give the public “a chance to share a unique and enriching encounter with a living culture”. She has tried to ensure that both younger and older women and men are involved, and the new writers are given a voice alongside established writers. It is her aim that a variety of works poetry, waiata, story, music and theatre are included, ‘‘though the backbone of this series is poetry and stories.” But whatever the media, the overall criteria is that it will all be “original material.” “Writers Read” will enable the oral nature of much of the literature to become obvious, so it can be seen as an oral tradition that is able, in a contemporary mode, to be performed by young and old, women and men equally. This, along with the written voice, adds up to a statement that we are Maori, we are various (the contributors are from a wide range of Maori backgrounds), we live and belong in a present setting, this is our turangawaewae, we have worked together and with others to define a culture and build a nation. Here we are. Tihe Mauriora.