Erin Mercer reviews Katūīvei: Contemporary Pasifika Poetry from Aotearoa New Zealand edited by David Eggleton, Vaughan Rapatahana and Mere Taito for the Journal of New Zealand literature:
‘For starters, Katūīvei: Contemporary Pasifika Poetry from Aotearoa New Zealand is a beautiful book. Vibrantly coloured and intricately patterned, the hardcopy version even includes a ribbon for marking one’s place. I begin with this arguably superficial observation because the visual appeal of Katūīvei seems to me an expression of the considerable care that has gone into every stage of its publication. It also contributes to a reading experience – in a comfortable chair, leafing through crisp pages - that I value. The result of the care that has gone into this volume is a significant collection of poetry that ought to be read, displayed and treasured.
Katūīvei is a collection of poems by 89 poets of Pacific Island descent that represent the dynamic and continually evolving field of Pasifika poetry in Aotearoa. Edited by David Eggleton, Vaughan Rapatahana, and Mere Taito, the volume traces Pasifika poetry as it has emerged in the past decade, thus building on the important work done by Robert Sullivan, Albert Wendt, and Rena Whaitiri in Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English (2002) and Mauri Ola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English (2010). Taken together, such anthologies reveal the diversity of Pasifika poetry, which Katūīvei foregrounds through the selection of 137 poems that are exciting in their variety of tone, style, and content. There are poems by established poets such as Tusiata Avia, Karlo Mila, and Selina Tusitala Marsh, as well as the voices of the South Auckland Poets Collective, and new and emerging poets. The poems included range from experiences with traditional culture, particularly narrative traditions, to issues that characterise Aotearoa in the 21st century, such as personal identity, mental health, and a country increasingly marked by multiculturalism. Katūīvei is thus a significant anthology in terms of representing contemporary Pasifika poetry, as well as being an invaluable addition to landmark collections that cement that work as a vital part of this country’s literature.
The volume’s introduction reveals that the title is a hybrid term combining the Rotuman word ‘kavei,’ to navigate, and the pan-Pacific word ‘tūi, referring to a bird with two voices. For the editors, “To write poetry in Niu Sila as a Pacific migrant is an act of wayfinding, a creative process of discovery and negotiation between cultural spaces.” To further elucidate this process of wayfinding, the collection includes a brief history of Pasifika poetry in Aotearoa, which usefully traces its development from Alistair Te Ariki Campbell – the first Polynesian poet to have a poetry collection published in English by Pegasus Press in 1950 – to Albert Wendt, David Eggleton and John Pule, to the voices of the 21st century. By the start of the second decade of the millennium, Pasifika poetry has “undeniably become a major presence in New Zealand literature, helping to illuminate our understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand and its place in the world.”’
Read the article here.
