PASIFIKA MARAMA QAQA: AVIA, MARSH, MILA (2021)

Oceanic women have always been creators – weaving lives into pandanus mats, printing knowledge onto masi and tapa, bearing tatau memory on skin, weaving words in boundless talanoa. A triumph of preeminent Pasifika women – Ockham NZ Book Awards winner Tusiata Avia ('The Savage Coloniser Book'), Selina Tusitala Marsh ('Mophead Tu') and Ockham longlisted Karlo Mila ('Goddess Muscle') – come together to discuss the preoccupations that infuse their incredible new books. Grace Iwashita-Taylor leads this conversation on whakapapa, culture and Te-Moana-nui-a-Kiwa as its threaded through their pages. Talu mei tuai ‘a e nima mea‘a ‘a e kakai fefine ‘o e ‘Ōseni Pasifikí – ‘I he‘enau lālanga ‘o e mo‘uí ki ha ngaahi fala lou‘akau, tā ‘a e kupesi ‘o e ‘iló ki he masí mo e ngatú, hilifaki ‘i he kilí ha ngaahi tātatau ‘o e manatú, lālanga ‘o e ngaahi leá ki ha talanoa tuputupu‘a. Ko ha ikuna ‘eni ma‘á e kakai fefine ‘iloa ‘o e Pasifikí – ‘oku fakatahataha mai ai ‘a Tusiata Avia ('The Savage Coloniser Book'), Selina Tusitala Marsh ('Mophead Tu') pea mo Karlo Mila ('Goddess Muscle') – ke talatalanoa‘i ‘a e ngaahi fakalaulaulotoa ‘oku tuifio atu ‘i he‘enau ngaahi tohi laulōtaha fo‘oú. ‘Oku tataki ‘e Grace Iwashita-Taylor ‘a e talanoá ni fekau‘aki mo e whakapapa, ngaahi ‘ulungāanga fakafonuá mo e Te-Moana-nui-a-Kiwa ‘o hangē ko ia kuo filohi atu ‘i he ngaahi peesi ‘o ‘enau fa‘u tohí. Talanoa series curated by Gina Cole. Supported by Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust. AUCKLAND WRITERS FESTIVAL WAITUHI O TĀMAKI 2021