27 Writers Find Creative Direction Through Karitane Marae Residency

Twenty-seven writers aged 18 to 35 participated in the second annual New Zealand Young Writers Festival in Dunedin. The event was organized by the Dunedin Fringe and took place in the city, which holds UNESCO City of Literature status.

The residency component, known as a wānaka, required a three-day stay at Puketeraki Marae in Karitane. This format used a tuakana and teina framework to guide skill building and inspiration. The stay began with a pōwhiri and a Talitali kava ceremony. Participants also took a guided tour of Huriawa pā to engage with local stories.

Daily routines included morning karakia and waiata to ground the group before writing sessions. Evenings concluded with open mic performances in the wharenui. These sessions allowed the cohort to share new and existing work, fostering connections among the twenty-seven attendees.

Mentors provided specific workshops during the residency. Eric Soakai led a life mapping exercise that included planning for the future. Josiah Morgan, the 2026 Young Writer in Residence, taught movement-based techniques for managing discomfort. Antony Deaker and Nick Tipa discussed practical topics such as artist funds, taxes, and grant applications.

The festival program opened with the cohort presenting their work in an event called Pou Kōrero, Pou Talanoa: Posts that Speak. The group closed this session by singing a waiata composed by the previous year's cohort. This song now serves as the official waiata for the festival.

The weekend schedule included workshops on slam poetry, zine making, multilingual collaborative poetry, and ritual. Tara Leckie led a workshop titled 'Talking to the Dark.' One attendee described it as a healthy way to process difficult thoughts and return to a safer mental space. The Otago Poetry Slam Champs also performed on Saturday night.

The event concluded with a panel discussion featuring five selected writers. They discussed courage, revolution, lived experience, and collaboration. Rachel O’Neill moderated the session. The cohort then gathered for closing reflections and a poroporoaki ceremony to end the residency.