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New Zealand’s current Poet Laureate Robert Sullivan is following in the footsteps of Māori poets and composers in both languages, including fellow Laureate Hone Tuwhare.
“I had the privilege of reading a couple of times with Tā Hone back in the day when I was a lot younger,” he said.
“And just to remember him and to know that I’m not just walking on my own, that others have walked before me, such as Hone Tuwhare, and also all of our great Māori poets who write in te reo Māori, our great composers such as Puhiwahine, and our enduring continuum of Māori poetry within te reo Māori and also within English writing.”
Sullivan told RNZ while he was still a junior when it came to understanding te reo Māori, there was a “new wave” of poets writing in te reo Māori inspired by the work of Sir Tīmoti Kāretu, Wharehuia Milroy and others who’ve gone before.
“They have created a new wave of Māori poets because they speak beautiful te reo Māori. There’s a rongoā within the kupu Māori, which is a kind of vibrational healing that comes from hearing the Māori language and all the mana that’s been passed down from mai rā anō to the future.”
Sullivan has whakapapa to Ngāpuhi (Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Hau / Ngāti Kaharau) and Kāi Tahu (Kāti Huirapa ki Puketeraki) and is also of Irish descent.
He is the author of more than 12 books of poetry, including Jazz Waiata, Star Waka and Tūnui / Comet.
His latest book of poems, Hopurangi-Songcatcher: Poems from the Maramataka, was shortlisted for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award at the 2025 Ockham NZ Book Awards. He was announced as New Zealand’s Poet Laureate in 2025.
Sullivan was presented with the poet laureate tokotoko, created by Haumoana artist Jacob Scott, at a handover ceremony at the National Library in Wellington on Monday.
He said it was an honour to hold the tokotoko and to see the essence of mana imbued in the “beautiful black maire” carved in the shape of the prow of a waka.
He saw the laureateship as a gift from the community.
“A real privilege to be involved with different communities and to spread poetry, but also to learn a lot about the concerns of communities and how the emotional truth that poetry brings lifts everyone up.”
The National Library holds the matua (parent tokotoko) to signify joint guardianship, along with each new Laureate and Matahiwi marae in Hawke’s Bay, of the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award.
Hawke’s Bay is the original home of the Laureate Award, but a planned April event in Hawke’s Bay was cancelled due to Tropical Cyclone Vaianu and was replaced by the event at the National Library.
From its inception as the Te Mata Estate Winery Laureate Award in 1996 through to 2007 the laureates were Bill Manhire, Hone Tuwhare, Elizabeth Smither, Brian Turner and Jenny Bornholdt.
Since 2007, when the National Library took over the appointment of the Poet Laureate, the Laureates have been Michele Leggott, Cilla McQueen, Ian Wedde, Vincent O’Sullivan, CK Stead, Selina Tusitala Marsh, David Eggleton and Chris Tse.
The stipend of the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award was $150,000 over the three-year period. The Laureate received $120,000, with the balance held by the National Library to cover the cost of the Laureate’s tokotoko, and to support their travel and participation in literary events.
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