MEET THE WHAKAKI’S: WITI IHIMAERA’S NEW BOOK – THE THRILL OF FALLING

He is the master of the twists and turns in a nation’s most loved narratives.

He has memories of life in Whakaki in New Zealand, he’s the author and co-movie producer of Whalerider (book and film). He is defined as being the most powerful voice in Maori literature. Although I am not his favorite Cliff, I am his favorite Sam. He is a great teacher – although when you read this website you’d wonder if my ears had been painted on when he trained me in creative writing many years ago.

Today Witi Ihimaera was in studio on New Zealand TV talking up his new book The Thrill of Falling. Younger creative writers in New Zealand cannot describe him as a tuakana. Turning down a knighthood specifically as he believed the system had done more harm to Maori then good so he couldn’t possibly accept, he’s more like an Uber-Tuakana-Max. Anyway, here’s a few things that Ta Witi had to say.

Paraphrased: “As a kid in Whakaki and visiting Hamilton, I liken the thrill of falling to the thrill of jumping off a bridge when you’re a kid. It’s scary, then you hit the water and you’re okay. The book also covers going to London and how we engage with the wider world. Helicopters work out of fiords, lassooing icebergs as the water is 99% pure antarctic water. That occurrence is also in the book.

We have rich pasts of Maori people who are global citizens of travel. In the book the character Aunt Lulu marries Gardener Harrington. His family are horrified he married someone dark. They try and define her “suspect Maori blood” as being Castellian. She would never be intimidated by the put downs, appearing at the opera in a stunning Maori cloak. Lol! That was Aunt Lulu.

From the book’s sleeve: In The Thrill of Falling, Witi Ihimaera continues his exploration of the novella and the long story begun in his last collection, Ask The Posts of the House (2007) with a new set of intriguing narratives: urban fiction in Maggie Dawn; contemporary comedy in We’ll Always Have Paris; the science fiction novella in Purity of Ice; the new genre of conservation fiction in Orbis Terrarium; the different ways of telling history in the title story; and an adaptation into novella, One More Night, of Albert Belz‘s play, Whero’s New Net, which itself was adapted from stories in Ihimaera’s second short story collection, The New Net Goes Fishing (1976). The ideas continue to affirm Ihimaera’s place in New Zealand literature as one of our finest storytellers.–Wheelers.

It’s a treat to see a live read of Ta Witi’s latest piece of work.

Having long been a man who survived the many jealousies that surrounded his rise to be a voice for his people that was universally accepted –there is only one way to define the elusive, clever, compassionate and wise Ta Witi: he is a living national treasure.

Thank you for the humor, the twists and the stories – the words always gifted from the heart. Incidentally my “Smile Club” section within this blog, is named after your dad Tom, who when I met him once in hongi, smiled at me in Whakatane. The depth of his grace is a lifetime’s work to restore to the current generation of Kiwis and our friends. Stay smiling. Thank you. I am looking forward to Bullibasha: King of The Gypsies when it makes it to the silver screen.

[Footage: Jeanette Thomas and Matai Rangi Smith zoom us in on Good Morning show in New Zealand. Hollywood Google Images Witi Ihimaera Pop Art].

~Posted by Horiwoodblog, Aotearoa New Zealand, Polynesia Asia-Pacific. 12.7.12~

July 12, 2012 | Categories: New Zealand, Oscars, World News, Maori, Authors, Keisha Castle Hughes, Auckland City, News, Te Reo Rangatira, New York, Celine Dion, Literary, Opera, Paris, London, Books, Water, Culture, Ngati Porou, Foreign Affairs, Gratitude, Grey Power, Smile Club, Aotearoa New Zealand, Cross-Cultural Narratives, South Pacific Television Hollywood, Maori Television Service - Hollywood, Aotearoa Television Service - Hollywood, Industry Town News, Indigenous Thinking, South Pacific, Heritage Arts & Culture, Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Teamwork, Asia Pacific, Auteurs, Asia-Pacific, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Founding Fathers - Aotearoa New Zealand, Matai Rangi Smith, Hamilton, Memphis, New Zealand Citizens, Teachers, Creative, Creative Writing, Jeanette Thomas, helicopters, Graeme Beattie, Castilian, Herne Bay, Barry Barclay, Tom Smiler | Leave A Comment »