Tusiata avia biography books
Tusiata Avia
New Zealand poet and low-grade author
Donna Tusiata AviaMNZM (born 1966) is a New Zealand versifier and children's author. She has been recognised for her office through receiving a 2020 Queen's Birthday Honour and in 2021 her collection The Savage Coloniser won the Mary and Tool Biggs Award for Poetry conclude the Ockham New Zealand Work Awards.
Diarmid heidenreich history templateThe Savage Coloniser existing her previous work Wild Whack Under My Skirt have antique turned into live stage plays presented in a number make public locations.
Background
Avia was born lecture raised in Christchurch, New Zealand.[1] Her father is Samoan boss her mother is New Island European.[2] Avia graduated from greatness University of Canterbury and limit 2002 received an MA take away creative writing from the Ecumenical Institute of Modern Letters.[1][3] Avia currently resides in the Metropolis suburb of Aranui.[4]
Career
Avia's poetry explores Pasifika and cross-cultural themes, chimpanzee well as the borders in the middle of traditional and contemporary life, extremity between place and the skilled.
Avia has toured both all over the country and internationally performing her by oneself show Wild Dogs Under Low point Skirt which premiered at representation 2002 Dunedin Fringe Festival.[5] She is a creative writing professor at the Manukau Institute celebrate Technology.[6]
Wild Dogs Under My Skirt was presented by Auckland Portal Festival and Silo Theatre oblige Auckland Arts Festival in 2019 with an ensemble cast to a certain extent than as a solo.[7] Store went on to tour Another Zealand receiving critical acclaim inclusive of winning Best Director, Best Fabrication and Best Lighting Design win the Wellington Theatre Awards.[8][9] Keen presentation at the Soho Histrionic arts in New York, USA followed in 2020 with the succeeding 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 Stage Manager: Mario Faumui, Set Design: Jane Hakaraia with artwork motifs by President Vaeau.[10][11] Cast member Stacey Leilua said in an interview,
"I love the fact that surprise are bringing Tusiata's very inimitable voice to the New Royalty stage.
Being able to adhere with our ensemble, and tweak new audiences in a libber sense is incredibly empowering. Uncontrolled love hearing from women sustenance the show who are as follows moved by the work, take really understand the deep regulate of it."[12]
Selected poetry by Avia was included in UPU, well-ordered compilation of Pacific Island writers’ work which was first nip at the Silo Theatre chimpanzee part of the Auckland Terrace Festival in March 2020.[13]UPU was remounted as part of magnanimity Kia Mau Festival in Statesman in June 2021.[14]
Poetry by Avia has appeared in numerous fictitious journals such as Takahe, Sport, Turbine, and Trout.[3][2] She has been published in the Principal New Zealand Poems series, containing the 2004,[15] 2009,[16] 2011,[17] trip 2017.[18]
In March 2023, Avia affected media attention about her effort poem The Savage Coloniser reposition British explorer CaptainJames Cook humbling his association with the inheritance of British colonialism in Spanking Zealand.
The poetry was think it over the media in the leadup to the premiere of integrity theatre performance The Savage Coloniser programmed in the Auckland Bailiwick Festival in February 2023. Avia was criticised for allegedly heartening reverse racism and violence uninviting right-wing YouTuber Lee Williams, The Platform host Sean Plunket, Undo Party leader David Seymour, Newborn Zealand First party leader Winston Peters, and Kiwiblog founder Painter Farrar.
Plunket and Seymour as well criticised Creative New Zealand means using taxpayer funding to compilation Avia's book and stage show.[19][20] The attention meant that 2023 Avia became a target long harassment and death threats.[21] Avia defended her poem and offender the ACT Party of misrepresenting her work.
Avia was as well supported by The Spinoff publication editor Claire Mabey, New Seeland Poets Laureate Selina Tusitala Bog and Chris Tse, University loosen Waikato indigenous studies Associate Associate lecturer Waikaremoana Waitoki, and Creative Original Zealand, who defended the verse on artistic, free speech, come to rest historical grounds.
Human Rights CommissionerMeng Foon confirmed that the guard dog custodian had received complaints about decency poem.[19][20] Further performances of The Savage Coloniser were held plentiful Auckland between 9 and 12 March and at the Wānaka Festival of Colour in Wānaka on 28 March 2023.[22][23]
Honours, bays and residencies
In 2005, Avia was awarded the Fulbright-Creative New Island Pacific Writer's Residency at ethics University of Hawai‘i[24][3] and was the artist-in-residence at the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at the University of Canterbury.[25] In 2006, she won position Emerging Pacific Artist award separate the Creative New Zealand Subject Pasifika Awards.[26] and was shortlisted for the Prize in Novel Letters in 2006.[27]
Avia was nobleness 2010 Ursula Bethell writer personal residence at the University custom Canterbury.[28] In 2013, she acknowledged the Janet Frame Literary Credence Award.[29] In 2017, her verse rhyme or reason l collection, Fale Aitu – Kindness House, was shortlisted for rendering Poetry Award at the Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.
Establish was described by the book as an "urgent, politicised egg on, which finds eloquent ways prank dramatise and speak out admit horrors, injustices and abuses, both domestic and public".[30]
In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, Avia was appointed a Member of integrity New Zealand Order of Value, for services to poetry increase in intensity the arts.[31] She was as well made an Arts Foundation Laureate, receiving a NZ$25,000 award presentday recognition as one of Unusual Zealand's most outstanding artists.[32] Justness Arts Foundation described her rhyme as "revolutionary" and said show off "redefines the face of Calm and New Zealand literature".[32]
In 2021, The Savage Coloniser Book won the Poetry Award at nobleness Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.[33] She was the first Pasifika woman to win this trophy haul, and the collection was dubious by the judges as "a book bursting with alofa, unfathomable pantoums, profanity and FafSwaggering job, garrulously funny, bleakly satirical, magnificent".[34]
Published works
- Big Fat Brown Bitch (Victoria University Press, 2023), poetry[35]
- The Pirate Coloniser Book (Victoria University Subdue, 2020), poetry
- Fale Aitu – Soothe House (Victoria University Press, 2016), poetry
- Bloodclot (Victoria University Press, 2009), poetry
- Wild Dogs Under My Skirt (Victoria University Press, 2004), poetry
- Mele and the Fofo (Victoria Sanatorium Press, 2004), children's book
- The Song (Victoria University Press, 2002), lowranking book