Three powerhouse Waiheke wāhine authors held a packed dining room spellbound at Goldie Estate during last Thursday’s Wonderful Waiheke Women (W3) event.
Dr Hinemoa Elder led with a waiata, then shared her story about writing her two books Aroha, Maori Wisdom for a Contented Life Lived in Harmony with our Planet and Wawata – Moon Dreaming. She read two passages, bringing some guests to tears, then apologised for not being able to stay after dinner to sign copies, saying she had to go home for a zoom call. “Child psychologists are kept very busy right now,” says the former television presenter. Hinemoa is also a professor in indigenous research at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.
Up next was Emily King with her recent publication Re-food in which she cleverly advocates for a food-systems approach to Aotearoa’s troubled food network. Emily is an environmental lawyer who’s become an internationally recognised thought leader in food systems change.
Rounding out the evening was Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh, ONZM FRSNZ. A national treasure and thrilling performer, Selina was New Zealand Poet Laureate for 2017-2019 and is now a Professor of English specialising in Pasifika literature at the University of Auckland. She’s produced several award-winning poetry collections but, on the night, the audience was given a sneak preview of her third in a series of children’s books and memoirs which she says, “are suitable for adults too”. • Sarah Gloyer
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