Nuki Takao is Kapiti Island’s resident writer

19th AUGUST 2010 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Nuki Takao is Kapiti Island’s 2010 resident writer

Kapiti Island's Kaitiaki o Kapiti Trust announced today that writer Nuki Takao will be Kapiti Island’s resident writer this year.

The 'Tau mai e Kapiti' Maori Writers' Residency 2010, funded by Te Waka Toi / Creative New Zealand and hosted by Kaitiaki o Kapiti Trust, offers a grant and allows an up-and-coming Maori writer to live and work on the northern end of Kapiti island for eight weeks. This year the residency will run from 23 August to 17 October 2010.

Nuki Takao (Ngati Rarua – Turangapeke, Te Ati Awa – Otaraua, Ngai Tuhoe - Tamakaimoana) says living on Kapiti will be like 'moving back through the mists of time'. ‘To reside on Kapiti, on the island that stands apart from this world, will be more than a dream come true,’ says Nuki. ‘To tread in the undisturbed footsteps of the old ones, to spend time with the ahi ka, with those few who have held unbroken the thread down through the generations, will be an honour.’

During the residency Nuki plans to work on a children's book, in Maori and English, which she hopes to eventually develop into a series. She says the story will be an 'historical, mythical, magical story based around Kapiti Island, its environs and its people. A hero's tale with a child at its heart.'

The 'Tau Mai e Kapiti' residency is open annually to authors from all genres writing in English and/or in Maori. John Barrett and whanau, who live on Kapiti Island and run the Kapiti Nature Lodge, will be hosting Nuki during the eight week residency.

'We're delighted to be sharing Matariki and Kapiti with Nuki, our third resident writer,' he says. 'We're very grateful to our supporters for seeing the residency through for another year. We're very much hoping it will become an annual thing, as this is the only residency in the country created and run by Maori for Maori writers.'

ends

© Scoop Media