The Poetical Work And Polynesian Cultural Inheritances
The poetical work of Albert Wendt, Apirana Taylor, Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, Hone Tuwhare, Keri Hulme, Gloria Rawlinson, J. C. Sturm, and Roma Potiki all have voices that are informed by and reflect their Polynesian cultural inheritances in various ways. The main ways in which these inheritances can be seen to be reflected, is by showing the poets’ inclusion of their culture’s mythology, customs, and civilisation. The way in which these poets’ voices have been informed by their cultures, can be seen with describing the way these poets address their culture’s concerns.
Albert Wendt was born in Western Samoa. The reflections of his Polynesian cultural inheritances is evident in the ...
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in Hone Tuwhare’s use of mythology in his poetry. Tuwhare was born in Kaikohe, and belongs to the Ngapuhi hapus Ngati Korokoro, Ngati Tautahi, Te Popoto, and Uri-O-Hau. In his poem ‘Papa-tu-a-nuku’, he uses Maori mythology. The title, ‘Papa-tu-a-nuku’, means ‘Earth Mother’, which is part of a number of nature’s elements that are personified in Maori mythology. Hense, the earth being personified as a mother, and the content of the poem involving this interaction with the earth:
We are massaging the ricked
back of the land
with our sore but ever-loving feet:
hell, she loves it!
Squirming, the land wriggles
in delight. (p242)
The reflections of Polynesian cultural inheritances are also evident in Apirana Taylor’s use of Maori mythology. Taylor is of Te Whanau-a-Apanui, Ngati Porou and Ngati Ruanui descent. In his poem ‘The Womb’, when describing the grievances of the land because of the settlers damaging it, he desribes the land’s ...
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with a Tangi. In the poem ‘Dear Cousin’, there is reference to food (or ‘kai’) that is synonymous with Maori’s preference for such. This includes Puha, Kamokamo, riwai, etc, which is represented in the following extract: “and on it place a steaming pot of puha, / kamokamo, riwai.” (p245)
The poetry of Keri Hulme also shows a reflecting of Maori cultural inheritances through her inclusions of their customs in her poetry. This is evident in her poetry from ‘Fishing the Olearia Tree’. In this, the food that is described is synonomous with Maori ‘kai’; such as kumara, yams, muttonbirds, etc:
pink flesh of smoked eels, the tangy succulence of oysters,
muttonbirds grilled so ...
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"The Poetical Work And Polynesian Cultural Inheritances." Essayworld.com. July 1, 2006. Accessed April 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Poetical-Work-Polynesian-Cultural-Inheritances/48456.
"The Poetical Work And Polynesian Cultural Inheritances." Essayworld.com. July 1, 2006. Accessed April 19, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/The-Poetical-Work-Polynesian-Cultural-Inheritances/48456.
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