Following last year’s inaugural festival, Ngā Ringa Tuhituhi Kupu Māori Writers Festival 2023 returns to Rotorua this month, focusing on celebrating Māori writers across genres and inspiring young and seasoned attendees.
Events include sessions on mōteatea, screenwriting, kapa haka, writing for rangatahi, contemporary fiction and poetry and will take place across Te Papaiōuru Marae, Te Pākira Marae, Tarimano Marae and Rotorua Library.
Kupu chairman Rangitihi Pene said the organising team were blown away by the response to the first festival, which has challenged them to deliver even more this year.
“We can’t wait for people to experience our 2023 programme – there is literally something for everyone from inspiring authors, screenwriters, kapa haka composers and language champions.”
Professor Linda Tuhiwai Smith stars in the programme with her keynote session, From Decolonising Methodologies to Recolonising NZ Literature. Her ground-breaking book was published in 1998 and continues to be used as a major reference work for academics, researchers, students and policymakers.
Pene says the festival’s atmosphere will be imbued with the spirit of kōrero, and attendees can look forward to discussions about Māori literary traditions, poetry, film, theatre, history, and much more.
“This kaupapa celebrates Māori writers from the past, present, and future, and brings some of the best-known Māori writers from across Aotearoa to Rotorua to share their experiences, insights and journeys.”
Historian Dr Monty Soutar, who wrote NZ bestseller, Kāwai will feature in a masterclass session on Māori contemporary fiction along with Coco Solid, author of the hit book, How to Loiter in a Turf War.
Kura sessions led by writers like Charisma Rangipunga, Fraser Smith and Steph Matauku will also be available to students and young people.
Other highlights include an insider’s look into publishing in Aotearoa, discussions on te reo Māori with Dr Anaha Hiini and Reikura Kahi, and screenwriting sessions with award-winning writers Briar Grace-Smith and Michael Bennett.
Ngā Ringa Tuhituhi Kupu Māori Writers Festival takes place from September 17-23 in Rotorua and opens with a pōwhiri at Te Papaiōru Marae on September 17 at 6pm, led by Tā Tīmotī Kāretu.
