Leather notebooks at the ready… and go!
Te Waituhi o Tāmaki/The Auckland Writers Festival for 2022 kicks off on 23 August, celebrating some of the top talents in Aotearoa, as well as welcoming writers from overseas. There’s something for everyone across the whole festival lineup, but it can be a little overwhelming to choose from the 117 events. We’re breaking down some of the must-sees for students here.
Surviving Autocracy
Masha Gessen, staff writer for the New Yorker and outspoken political critic, presents their newest work Surviving Autocracy, while in conversation with Jack Tame. Though based in a Russian-American context, Gessen’s work offers a valuable guide to preparing for and navigating times of political upheaval, and considers how careful use of language is vital to combatting systems and discourses that create harm.
Kā-Shue
Writer and performer Lynda Chanwai-Earle revisits the epic Kā-Shue as a part of the festival, after touring the show internationally, in the time since it premiered in 1996. The play explores a one hundred year span, from the 19th Century NZ Poll Tax, to Tiananmen Square, through the multi-generational perspectives of a Chinese family, resettling in Aotearoa. Kā-Shue was pioneering in its debut, and returns to the stage after much celebration and affirmation as a moving piece in our theatre history.
True Stories Told Live: Across the Divide
In the 12th edition of this Festival event, eight writers from a myriad of specialties are asked to respond to the same prompt—this year the poignant prompt is ‘Across the Divide’. The stories must all be true and personal, and among the line up are poet Tayi Tibble (Te Whānau ā Apanui/Ngāti Porou), historical fiction writer Jenny Pattrick, and GP and essayist Dr. Himali McInnes. With such a timely prompt, the event is sure to serve up some fiery words and catharsis.
Tikanga: Keri Opai
Taranaki linguist and educator Keri Opai utilises his new book Tikanga: An introduction to te ao Māori to open up some short, intimate sessions with readers. Throughout this work, Opai focuses on the importance of developing respect for both Māori culture and language, and guides readers’ understanding of te reo and tikanga.
Baddest Art Friend
This panel, chaired by author Mohamed Hassan (How to be a Bad Muslim), will see The Spinoff editor Madeleine Chapman, author Rebecca K. Reilly (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai) (Greta and Valdin), and essayist Himali McInnes (The Unexpected Patient), dissect the boundaries of writing about personal experiences, and your friends personal experiences. Each of these author’s works explore really intimate details, so this event will offer some exciting insights into their vulnerable writing experiences.
Bloody Woman: Lopesi & Solid
Author, art critic, and academic Lana Lopesi and author, musician, and director Coco Solid (Ngāpuhi) join each other in a discussion about their latest works and long list of exciting projects. The essay collection Bloody Woman, Lopesi says “explores the overlap of being a woman and Samoan within the New Zealand diaspora.” Solid’s autobiographical fiction How to Loiter In a Turf War is a genre-bending romp around Tāmaki Makaurau, with characters navigating identity, family, gentrification, and useless bus services. The pairing of these authors and these works is definitely one to get pumped about.
The Disruptors
Ngā Ika Haehae Kupenga: Forbes, Husband, Kamo, Maniapoto
This kōrero brings together four Māori journalists, among them Mihingarangi Forbes (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Paoa) and Miriama Kamo (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga) from across our media landscape to explore questions of influence, power, and shaping public conversations. For those more inclined to Aotearoa news media than fictional storytelling, this is a must-see.
Te Waituhi o Tāmaki/The Auckland Writers Festival runs from 23 until 28 August. Student tickets are 50% off standard price, and many of these events are also free or are entry by koha!
