New perspectives and insights: Vaughan Rapatahana and John Gallas introduce ‘Te Purere/The Exodus: The Anthology of Expatriate New Zealand Poets’

by Admin on December 3, 2025December 5, 2025

Te Pūrere translates approximately into the English language as ‘getaway’ or ‘exodus’ and is an especially appropriate title for this anthology of New Zealand poets who continue to reside or have recently lived overseas as expatriates for lengthy periods. Their rationales are many and varied – ranging from employment, through relationships, to life-choice decisions to remain overseas

Language matters: Les Wicks reviews ‘te pāhikahikatanga / incommensurability’ by Vaughan Rapatahana

by Admin on November 28, 2023November 28, 2023

Rapatahana’s focus rests heavily on language – he argues it can be an oppressor and a liberator. Language matters.

Vivid and eloquent: ‘inãianei/now’ by Vaughan Rapatahana reviewed by Beatriz Copello

by Admin on January 24, 2022January 24, 2022

When the poetry book inãianei/now by Vaughan Rapatahana was given to me to review the cover, by Pauline Canlas Wu, not only intrigued me but also surprised me. Why? Because it portrays a group of men showing anger and two women with a resigned look on their faces and a hand expression that I interpreted as “What can we do?”. Once I read the book the cover made sense to me.