Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poetry in English

by Albert Wendt (Editor)

This unique anthology of contemporary indigenous Polynesian poetry collects poems written over the last 20 years from more than 60 poets in Hawaii, Tonga, Samoa, Aotearoa/New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue, and Rotuma. Well-known poets such as Hone Tuwhare, Alistair Te, Ariki Campbell, and Haunani-Kay Trask are joined by talented young voices in a way that presents both an overall Polynesian identity and a focus on individual style. Traditional laments mix with street-smart rap rhythms, and images of seascape and landscape mingle with portraits of urban slums. Political anger is a powerful force in these poems, but many are personal and particular. Sometimes the impact is visual as well as verbal, with design and drawing matching the words. The impression of the anthology as a whole is of an active, changing, varied, creative scene that confronts both a complex colonial past and a fast-moving global present with energy, courage, and vitality.

Genres: Poetry

274 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2003

About the author

Albert Wendt was born in Apia, Samoa.
Wendt's epic Leaves of the Banyan Tree (1979) won the 1980 New Zealand Book Awards. He was appointed to the first chair in Pacific literature at the University of the South Pacific in Suva. In 1988 he took up a professorship of Pacific studies at the University of Auckland. In 1999 Wendt was visiting Professor of Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Hawaii. In 2001 he was made Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to literature. In the 2013 Queen's Birthday Honours he was appointed a member of the Order of New Zealand.

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful collection of contemporary Polynesian poetry. While reading it I’ve learned so much about places such as Hawai’i, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Tonga, Samoa, the Cook Islands, Niue and Rotuma. Here in the U.S. we don’t learn very much (if anything at all) about these places and their history, so I am so thankful to have been able to read this stunning poetry collection. At times I felt like I was really transported to these gorgeous countries, and at the same time I could feel the pain and anger of what colonization did to them. There are some poems in here which will stay with me for a long time.

[Tonya · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for powerful political poetry this is a great read. Often times people forget that the impacts of colonialism only affected the African continent and the "new world". This book gives voice to the struggles of Pacific islanders dealing with issues from self-determination to blood quantum.

Blood Quantum by Naomi Losch

We thought we were Hawaiian
Our ancestors were Liloa, Kuali’i and Alapa’i.
We fought at Mokuohai, Kepaniwai and Nu’uanu,
And we supported Lili’ulani in her time of need.
We opposed statehood.
We didn’t want to be the 49th or the 50th,
And once we were, 5(f) would take care of us.
But what is a native Hawaiian?
Aren’t we of this place?
‘O ko mākou one hānau kēia.’
And yet, by definition we are not Hawaiian.
We can’t live on Homestead land,
Nor can we receive OHA money.
We didn’t choose to quantify ourselves,
¼ to the left ½ to the right
3/8 to the left 5/8 to the right
7/16 to the left 9/16 to the right
15/32 to the left 17/32 to the right
They not only colonized us, they divided us.