The WORD Christchurch Spring Festival features many 成人大片 scholars and writers.
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The听听is about to burst forth with stories, ideas, poetry and song. The recently announced festival line-up features many听成人大片 (UC) scholars and writers, including Canterbury University Press (CUP) authors, and is selling out fast.
WORD opens the literary fest with a glittering gala event,听, in which six of the festival's distinguished writers respond to the theme of courage in the midst of a pandemic, including UC Senior Adjunct Research Fellow听Behrouz Boochani. On stage with Boochani will be Witi Ihimaera, Laura Jean McKay, Becky Manawatu, Elizabeth Knox and Mohamed Hassan, hosted by John Campbell.
Based at K膩 Waimaero | Ng膩i Tahu Research Centre, Boochani听features in a new听, which includes interviews with WORD festival director Rachael King and UC听Ng膩i Tahu Research Centre director听Associate Professor Te Maire Tau, who is also part of the festival.
UC academics
Professor of Marketing and Director of the 成人大片 Knowledge Commons,听Ekant Veer will be hosting a talk with听Matt Calman and Jehan Casinader about their experience with depression and their individual adventurous听.
UC Arts Professor of English and Digital Humanities听Paul Millar will be听talking with听, one of our most acclaimed and versatile writers about his career so far.
UC鈥檚 Head of Aotahi School of M膩ori and Indigenous Studies Sacha McMeeking, journalist and UC PhD graduate Dr听Sally Blundell, and MP Golriz Ghahraman, will discuss the state of听, the implications for democracy, and what we can do better.
UC听lecturer in English and Cultural Studies and horror genre expert听Dr Erin Harrington听will get spooky with writer听Elizabeth Knox and film-maker听Jonathan King to dissect what they love about extraordinary US horror writer Shirley Jackson with听Noelle McCarthy in the听.
Professor Philip Armstrong teaches literature, creative writing and human-animal studies at UC. He is the author of books on Shakespeare and animals. He and novelist Laura Jean McKay (The Animals in That Country) both use animal protagonists in their work, and both work in the field of animal studies. In听, they will discuss 鈥榳hat would the animals say if they could talk to us?鈥
UC graduate and economist Brian Easton discusses his new book,听, a major contribution to the economic history of New Zealand, with UC Emeritus Professor of History Geoff Rice, who has published 10 books with CUP.
Speaking with Annabel Langbein about her memoir听Bella,听听is a former TV journalist who now teaches visual story-telling at UC.
CUP authors
Other festival highlights include CUP authors Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew and Trevor Agnew discussing their newly published book,听,听about听Choie Sew Hoy, whose illustrious career changed the shape of commerce and industry in Otago and Southland.
Author John Newton was Llew Summers鈥 close friend during the last two years of the sculptor鈥檚 life and wrote his 2020 CUP book,听,听about the artist. A poet, critic and cultural historian, Newton is featuring in conversation about the late artist, and an exhibition of Llew Summers鈥 works will continue at the Central Art Gallery in the Arts Centre until 27 September.
Associate Professor Tau joins fellow UC academics in discussing the new CUP book听, which shines a light, for both M膩ori and P膩keh膩, on a crucial part of this country鈥檚 history. Join the author UC听听Lecturer听Dr Martin Fisher, along with UC听Adjunct Professor T膩 Tipene O鈥橰egan,听and听former Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Chris Finlayson, as they discuss a claim that spanned two centuries. The first Assistant Vice-Chancellor M膩ori appointed at UC, Sir Tipene was awarded an honorary doctorate from UC in 1992.
CUP poetry and flash fiction writers听听and听听also feature in the festival.
UC writers in residence
In common with WORD director Rachel听King (2008), many of the festival鈥檚 stars have been part of the UC community as the annual听Ursula Bethell Writer in Residence, including current resident Nathan Joe (2020). Previous UC writers-in-residence include John Newton (2017), Karen Healey (2017), Frankie McMillan (2014), David Eggleton (2012), Tusiata Avia (2010), Carl Nixon (2006), Brian Turner (1997), Fiona Farrell (1992), Bernadette Hall (1991), and Owen Marshall (1981).
UC graduates
There will also be a plethora of UC graduates appearing in the literary festival, including current postgraduate student听, who is听completing her final year of a Master鈥檚 degree in M膩ori and Indigenous Leadership at UC.
The list of UC graduates includes Bill Nagelkerke, Brian Easton, Carl Nixon, Carl Shuker, Donna Miles-Mojab, Eamonn Marra, James Norcliffe, Jess Fiebig, Joanna Orwin, Karen Healey, Laura Borrowdale, Margaux Warne, Miriama Kamo, Raf Manji, Dr Sally Blundell, Trevor Agnew, and Tusiata Avia, among others.
And we鈥檙e hoping to welcome rising star听听as a first-year UC student in 2021. In her final year at Burnside High School where she is Head Girl, E Wen has been writing poetry since she was 10, and won the 2020 National Schools Poetry Award.
- Word 2020 runs from听28 October-1 November听and many of the festival鈥檚 65 events are free. More information is available at听
