Waiheke poet, author and academic Selina Tusitala Marsh became the first Pasifika writer to be awarded the distinctive Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship last Friday in Wellington. Selina says she has never set out to be ‘the first’ this or that but she continually finds herself in those spaces.
Geraldine Baumann, Chair of the Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship Advisory Committee, says that Selina is an extraordinary talent. “It’s a significant moment for us to have our first, long-overdue Pasifika fellow. As a former Poet Laureate, her voice has already shaped our literary landscape, and we are thrilled to see her receive this recognition.” Bauman also commented that the award was based on merit, and not on Selina being the first Pasifika Awardee. “I value this comment and I know it will undoubtedly pave the way for other indigenous and Pasifika writers,” says Selina.
• Sarah Gloyer
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