Review (PDF) Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poetry In English
"Whetu Moana" is a historic work - the first anthology of contemporary indigenous Polynesian poetry in English edited by Polynesians. It is a broad anthology, showcasing a wide range of contemporary Pacific writing by both established poets and younger voices. This is a companion volume to the well-regarded "Nuanua: an anthology of Pacific writing in English since 1980" (published by AUP, 1995). This anthology of contemporary Polynesian poetry in English, edited by Polynesians, is comprised of poems written over the last 20 years by more than 60 poets from Aotearoa, Hawai'i, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue and Rotuma. Well-known poets like Hone Tuwhare, Alistair Te Ariki Campbell and Haunani-Kay Trask are joined by younger voices. The poets appear in alphabetical order, representing both a collective Polynesian identity and a focus on individual style. Traditional laments mix with street-smart rap rhythms, images of seascape and landscape mingle with shots of urban slums, and the political stands alongside the personal. The impact is sometimes visual as well as verbal, with design and drawing accompanying the words. This anthology is a diverse collection of voices, confronting both a complex colonial past and a fast-moving global present.
Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Auckland University Press (April 2003)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1869402731
ISBN-13: 978-1869402730
Product Dimensions: 0.8 x 6.5 x 8.8 inches
Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #2,347,428 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #112 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Regional & Cultural > Australia & Oceania #3285 in Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Anthologies #3477 in Books > Textbooks > Humanities > Literature > World Literature
Too often, we fall into a cycle of reading the same sorts of text--historical novels, or a certain kind of poetry, or `chick-lit,' or classics. We forget that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of authors waiting to be uncovered, opened, read. Whetu Moana gives the public an opportunity to discover several varied Pacifika poets. For such a compact book, Whetu Moana offers a wealth of different styles, subtexts, and contexts. Politics. Sex. Home. War. Water. Each author leads a voyage into their pacific. The results are fantastic and disturbing and beautiful. So, before you go and pick up a novel, or anthology, or poem that has enjoyed great reviews in the New York Times, pick up Whetu Moana and discover a group of authors that transcend easy criticism.
Please read this book. It is a collection of poems from people from all over Polynesia. The poems a situated and mixed in with in each other so you are able to read poems from different writers, from different countries next to each other. Reading it this way you can see the similarities and difference between cultures that would otherwise miss if the book were formated another way. The poets come from Hawaii, Aotearoa, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Cook Islands, and Rotuma. If you like reading political poems, most of these have to deal with political or global issue. Don't be turned off if you don't like political poems, because the poems are really beautiful. It's worth the money to gain a new perspective of the Pacific.
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