The voices of Tusiata Avia are infinite. She ranges from vulnerable to forbidding to celebratory with forms including pantoums, prayers and invocations. And in this electrifying new work, she gathers all the power of her voice to speak directly into histories of violence.
The collection showcases Tusiata Avia's unique ability to blend voices from different realms, intertwining the living with the dead and bridging past experiences with contemporary insights. Her poems are a mix of confessional and confrontational tones, infused with both gentleness and humor, reflecting her essential role in New Zealand and Pasifika literature. Through her fearless writing, Avia explores complex themes with depth and authenticity.
This vivacious collection of poetry charts the author's experience with the sometimes painful intersection of New Zealand and Samoan cultures in her life. Alive with the energy and rhythm of performance poetry and oral traditions, these poems reshape common understanding of New Zealand culture.