This story is from Stuff
As the first Māori writer to be published in The New Yorker, Tayi Tibble hopes it paves the way for rangatahi Māori to know there is a future for them in the arts abroad.
The Pōneke-based poet was swamped with congratulations on Tuesday as her poem, Creation Story, ran on the prestigious magazine’s website. It has not yet rolled off the printing press, so she will have a wait to hold the double-page spread in her hands.
She follows in the footsteps of fellow Aotearoa literary greats Janet Frame, CK Stead and Bill Manhire – but this piece of work has a point of difference in its seamless inclusion of reo Māori.
“It’s a dream placement for lots of writers everywhere,” she told Stuff.
Her two poetry books – Poūkahangatus and Rangikura – were published in Aotearoa in 2018 and 2021 and were both finalists at the Ockhams.
She now has a two-book deal with Knopf in America and Penguin in the United Kingdom, with the first book released last year and the second next year.
After several trips to the US over the past 12 months, including being involved in festivals, being published in America’s most iconic magazine “makes me feel part of that community there”.
It was a “milestone” for her career.
“I hope that it helps with the reception of my other work, especially with my second book coming out next year.”
While talking from her home in Pōneke, Tibble (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou) described being ensconced in the creative world in the Big Apple, which was where her involvement with The New Yorker began.
Her publisher, John Freeman, put on a party attended by a New Yorker staffer who asked if she had any new work. Later while she was teaching in Paris at a New York University summer school programme, she met the magazine’s poetry editor, Kevin Young.
That was when her newest work, Creation Story, caught their attention. “Meeting them was definitely helpful.”
Since her mahi was published, Tibble has had feedback saying how moved Māori were to see reo Māori in print.
“I’m really proud of that increase and prominence of te reo Māori in New Zealand.”
She hoped having it normalised and appearing in a prominent international publication would help with the language revival kaupapa.
“It’s very validating, because what I feel like I do is try and share our stories, but these stories can take you all over the world.
“I hope that I might represent to some rangatahi [young people] that our stories and our culture matter, and it can take you anywhere.”
She had a sense of frankness and directness in her writing, reminiscent of the New Zealand style, she said.
There “is power in being frank and direct” about issues like colonisation and racism, she said.
Seeing the way in which Tusiata Avia – who touches on similar themes in her writing – was treated in reaction to her frank poem was shocking, but also affirming seeing the support wrapped around her from the writing community.
Tibble hoped her work being elevated internationally would also open more doors for other indigenous writers, and “hopefully editors now have some awareness of Māori poetry”.
Her advice to rangatahi Māori wanting a career in the arts was “we have something invaluable and I think it’s the best thing an artist can have, a perspective”.
“We are born with a way of viewing the world that is beautiful and poetic. Trust in that and recognise our legacy of coming from a people who are artists and creative.
“It’s in our whakapapa.”
