Tusiata avia biography books
Tusiata Avia
New Zealand poet and children's author
Donna Tusiata AviaMNZM (born 1966) is top-notch New Zealand poet and children's hack. She has been recognised for send someone away work through receiving a 2020 Queen's Birthday Honour and in 2021 contain collection The Savage Coloniser won loftiness Mary and Peter Biggs Award tend Poetry at the Ockham New Island Book Awards. The Savage Coloniser soar her previous work Wild Dogs Junior to My Skirt have been turned insert live stage plays presented in natty number of locations.
Background
Avia was provincial and raised in Christchurch, New Zealand.[1] Her father is Samoan and gather mother is New Zealand European.[2] Avia graduated from the University of Town and in 2002 received an Sheet in creative writing from the Universal Institute of Modern Letters.[1][3] Avia not long ago resides in the Christchurch suburb put Aranui.[4]
Career
Avia's poetry explores Pasifika and cross-cultural themes, as well as the limits between traditional and contemporary life, endure between place and the self.
Avia has toured both nationally and internationally performing her solo show Wild Blow Under My Skirt which premiered warrant the 2002 Dunedin Fringe Festival.[5] She is a creative writing lecturer regress the Manukau Institute of Technology.[6]
Wild Under My Skirt was presented timorous Auckland Arts Festival and Silo Theatre arts for Auckland Arts Festival in 2019 with an ensemble cast rather fondle as a solo.[7] It went get away to tour New Zealand receiving carping acclaim including winning Best Director, Outperform Production and Best Lighting Design heroic act the Wellington Theatre Awards.[8][9] A routine at the Soho Playhouse in Unique York, USA followed in 2020 concluded the following credits: Directed by Anapela Polata'ivao, Cast – Joanna Mika-Toloa, Petmal Petelo, Ilasiaane Green, Stacey Leilua, Vaimaila Carolyn Baker, Anapela Polata'ivao, Musician – Leki Jackson Bourke, Choreography and Practice Manager: Mario Faumui, Set Design: Jane Hakaraia with artwork motifs by President Vaeau.[10][11] Cast member Stacey Leilua blunt in an interview,
"I love grandeur fact that we are bringing Tusiata's very unique voice to the Fresh York stage. Being able to relate with our ensemble, and with in mint condition audiences in a feminist sense in your right mind incredibly empowering. I love hearing exotic women after the show who disadvantage so moved by the work, be first really understand the deep value comprehensive it."[12]
Selected poetry by Avia was deception in UPU, a compilation of Composed Island writers’ work which was control presented at the Silo Theatre type part of the Auckland Arts Holiday in March 2020.[13]UPU was remounted tempt part of the Kia Mau Tribute in Wellington in June 2021.[14]
Poetry hunk Avia has appeared in numerous bookish journals such as Takahe, Sport, Turbine, and Trout.[3][2] She has been available in the Best New Zealand Verse series, including the 2004,[15] 2009,[16] 2011,[17] and 2017.[18]
In March 2023, Avia fascinated media attention about her confronting verse The Savage Coloniser about British nomad CaptainJames Cook and his association fit the legacy of British colonialism play a role New Zealand. The poetry was decline the media in the leadup appoint the premiere of the theatre act The Savage Coloniser programmed in representation Auckland Arts Festival in February 2023. Avia was criticised for allegedly inciting reverse racism and violence by dyed in the wool YouTuber Lee Williams, The Platform hotelman Sean Plunket, ACT Party leader King Seymour, New Zealand First party king Winston Peters, and Kiwiblog founder Painter Farrar. Plunket and Seymour also criticised Creative New Zealand for using inhabitant funding to sponsor Avia's book point of view stage show.[19][20] The attention meant guarantee 2023 Avia became a target help out harassment and death threats.[21] Avia defended her poem and accused the Effect Party of misrepresenting her work. Avia was also supported by The Spinoff book editor Claire Mabey, New Sjaelland Poets Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh dispatch Chris Tse, University of Waikato untamed free studies Associate Professor Waikaremoana Waitoki, esoteric Creative New Zealand, who defended righteousness poem on artistic, free speech, distinguished historical grounds. Human Rights CommissionerMeng Foon confirmed that the watchdog had habitual complaints about the poem.[19][20] Further move of The Savage Coloniser were kept in Auckland between 9 and 12 March and at the Wānaka Anniversary of Colour in Wānaka on 28 March 2023.[22][23]
Honours, awards and residencies
In 2005, Avia was awarded the Fulbright-Creative Original Zealand Pacific Writer's Residency at rectitude University of Hawai‘i[24][3] and was say publicly artist-in-residence at the Macmillan Brown Focal point for Pacific Studies at the Introduction of Canterbury.[25] In 2006, she won the Emerging Pacific Artist award unexpected result the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifika Awards.[26] and was shortlisted for honesty Prize in Modern Letters in 2006.[27]
Avia was the 2010 Ursula Bethell essayist in residence at the University spot Canterbury.[28] In 2013, she received description Janet Frame Literary Trust Award.[29] Suspend 2017, her poetry collection, Fale Aitu – Spirit House, was shortlisted acquire the Poetry Award at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. It was described by the judges as above all "urgent, politicised collection, which finds speaking ways to dramatise and speak be patient against horrors, injustices and abuses, both domestic and public".[30]
In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, Avia was appointed fastidious Member of the New Zealand Direction of Merit, for services to plan and the arts.[31] She was as well made an Arts Foundation Laureate, response a NZ$25,000 award and recognition introduce one of New Zealand's most omitted artists.[32] The Arts Foundation described an extra poetry as "revolutionary" and said film set "redefines the face of Pacific take New Zealand literature".[32]
In 2021, The Robber Coloniser Book won the Poetry Accord at the Ockham New Zealand Restricted area Awards.[33] She was the first Pasifika woman to win this award, delighted the collection was described by character judges as "a book bursting plus alofa, profound pantoums, profanity and FafSwaggering stances, garrulously funny, bleakly satirical, magnificent".[34]
Published works
- Big Fat Brown Bitch (Victoria Institute Press, 2023), poetry[35]
- The Savage Coloniser Book (Victoria University Press, 2020), poetry
- Fale Aitu – Spirit House (Victoria University Company, 2016), poetry
- Bloodclot (Victoria University Press, 2009), poetry
- Wild Dogs Under My Skirt (Victoria University Press, 2004), poetry
- Mele and distinction Fofo (Victoria University Press, 2004), low-ranking book
- The Song (Victoria University Press, 2002), children's book