Recently at our Newtown Library, in conjunction with Massey University Press, we staged a very special launch event celebrating the release of A Kind of Shelter Whakaruru-taha.
A Kind of Shelter Whakaruru-taha is a major anthology of new writing featuring some of Aotearoa’s most eminent writers, artists and thinkers as they consider what our shared future may hold. The book is a series of rich conversations discussing our world in the second decade of this century. Just a few of the hot button topics the authors look at include decolonisation, indigeneity and climate change. A Kind of Shelter Whakaruru-taha, itself, is arranged according to the principles of whaikōrero.
The anthology, co-edited by Witi Ihimaera and Michelle Elvy, embraces a wide spectrum of voices creating a multiplicity of views for readers to consider. The writers included also hail from a variety of artistic and professional practices, including poets, anthropologists, fiction writers, architects and academics. The resultant final book is a luminous hui, a book to return to time and again.
As co-editor Witi Ihimaera says of the book – “It incorporates all types of writing, positions Aotearoa New Zealand as a marae for the future and it empowers so many voices from so many places to speak out to the world with strong and vigorous kōrero. It has built for itself a truly unique and innovative marae from which to hui from.”
This fabulous event featured a panel of some of Aotearoa’s finest writers, artists and thinkers; discussion between the participants made for an unmissable event, providing an important and valuable contribution to the conversations on our collective future. If you did miss it, do not fear! The participants and Massey University Press gave us permission to film the proceedings. We are now proud to present a video of the evening.
The evenings participants included:
Michelle Elvy, Witi Ihimaera, Tina Makereti, Pip Adam, Gregory O’Brien, Ya-Wen Ho, Noa Noa von Bassewitz.
With readings by Sudha Rao, Emma Barnes, Whiti Hereaka and Janis Freegard.
You may now view the video below, or by visiting our YouTube channel.
A Kind of Shelter Whakaruru-taha : An anthology of new writing for a new world order / Ihimaera, Witi
“Sixty-eight writers and eight artists gather at a hui in a magnificent cave-like dwelling or meeting house. In the middle is a table, the tepu korero, from which the rangatira speak; they converse with honoured guests, and their rangatira-korero embody the tahuhu, the over-arching horizontal ridge pole, of the shelter. In a series of rich conversations, those present discuss our world in the second decade of this century; they look at decolonisation, indigeneity, climate change . . . this is what they see. Edited by Witi Ihimaera and Michelle Elvy, this fresh, exciting anthology features poetry, short fiction and creative non-fiction, as well as korero or conversations between writers and work by local and international artists. The lineup from Aoteraoa includes, among others, Alison Wong, Paula Morris, Anne Salmond, Tina Makereti, Ben Brown, David Eggleton, Cilla McQueen, Hinemoana Baker, Erik Kennedy, Ian Wedde, Nina Mingya Powles, Gregory O’ Brien, Vincent O’ Sullivan, Patricia Grace, Selina Tusitala Marsh and Whiti Hereaka. Guest writers from overseas include Aparecida Vilaç a, Jose-Luis Novo and Ru Freeman.” ( Adapted from Catalogue)
