Our Vision: We believe in the power of writing to change people’s lives andrecognize that writers help make the Pacific region a place of creativity and peace.
Aloha mai kakou,
Welcome to our third Newsletter! We had another very busy year in 2007, running our regular writers’ workshops, and public readings. We also started two new programs: the Writers in the Schools Program and My Hawai’i writing competition, in collaboration with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance.
My Hawai’i Student Writing competition
On July 2007, the 25 top writers’ poems and stories were featured at the annual Hawai’i Conservation Conference where Hawai’i Governor Linda Lingle presented each winner with an award. Middle school students had been invited to submit stories about their place within the natural environment. Over 320 stories and poems were received from students and were assessed by 33 reviewers.
Each writing competition winner received a copy of the My Hawai’i Anthology 2007 filled with their stories and poems, as well as other prizes. This was the first writing competition of its kind in Hawai’i and PWC was very pleased to work with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance to make this a huge success! We are now working on the 2008 competition.
PWC’s Writers in the Schools Program
As reported in our last newsletter, we are pleased that this new writing program is now underway in two Honolulu schools: Halau Lokahi Public Charter School in Kalihi and Likelike Elementary School, in Palama.
In September we sponsored Stri Longanecker to attend a week of training with the Missoula Writing Collective (MWC) in Montana.She reported as follows: “I found my training session with the MWC in Missoula to be extremely educational, encouraging, and instrumental in preparing me to begin teaching for the Writers in the Schools Program.
They provided me with opportunities for observation in class rooms in three different schools where I observed workshops taught by different teachers, in different settings with varied ages and grades.By watching the teachers I was able to build a basis on how to run workshops and they gave me some great teaching ideas.
I was familiarized with the typical structure of a lesson plan, including time management and appropriate conduct with students and faculty, and job responsibilities.This really helped to build morale, leaving me anxious to return to Honolulu, and get into the classroom.I would highly recommend this training to anyone who becomes a teacher for the Writers in the Schools Program.
Thank you so much to PWC and MWC for the wonderful opportunity to learn how to better facilitate for my students!”
Stri is a writer and poet who started teaching writing to 3rd, 4th and 5th graders at Likelike Elementary School in October as part of our Writers in the Schools Program. She is also a volunteer at Youth Speaks Hawai’i, a grassroots organization dedicated to facilitating performance poetry.
June Nagasawa also started teaching creative writing to students at Halau Lokahi Public Charter School in October as part of our new writing program.She is a writer, visual artist and resource teacher working with 5th and 6th graders.The classes are often held outdoors where young people are inspired by the natural environment of Hawai’i.
Mahalo to our Sponsors
Mahalo to the Charles Engelhard Foundation for supporting our programs, and to our new sponsors -- Bank of Hawai’i Foundation and the Atherton Family Foundation who have helped to fund our Writers in the Schools Program in 2007.
Speaking to the Ocean and Land Writing Workshop
On November 10, 2007, PWC and Ala Kukui Hana Retreat held a joint writing workshop and public reading for residents of East Maui.The workshop was well attended and led by two distinguished writers from Aotearoa, New Zealand:Robert Sullivan, Director of Creative Writing at the English Department, UH Manoa, is a member of the Nga Puhi iwi of Northland and Kai Tahu of the South Island.Anne Kennedy is assistant Professor of English at UH Manoa and former Distinguished Writer in Residence.
Following is a sampling of feedback from participants:
"Anne Kennedy and Robert Sullivan's workshop was like taking a good long quaff of something life sustaining and essential; similar to my morning yogurt-tahini-fruits of paradise-bee pollen-flax oil-green algae-swampish mixture that I have most mornings...only mo betta. Absolutely rich in history, place, culture, memory, language, thresholds and passages; a study of how to gather true-to-life ingredients, take risks, and create something ono-licious from the heart. Good stuff, but like all good stuff; one yearns for more of it. We hope they will come for two days next year!"
“The teachers were great. I really appreciated the exposure to the Hana community and the people I was able to meet because I took the workshop. Everyone was great. It was a very supportive, nurturing environment.”
And a note from Robert and Anne: “We want to express our appreciation for the opportunity to share our work and creativity with the Hana writers at their beautiful centre. It is heartening to meet wonderful people who are doing important things for the well-being of their community.”
Mahalo nui loa to Ala Kukui Retreat Center for providing the perfect venue, and to Erin, Kirsten and Rick for all your help in coordination.
Creative New Zealand Fulbright Writers’ Residency
Last Fall, PWC welcomed the 2007 Creative New Zealand Fulbright scholar, Sarona Aiono-Iosefa, to our Advisory Committee meeting. Sarona, a New Zealand-born Samoan children’s author, spoke to us about her inspiration for writing.While undertaking her writing residency here, she was working on a new novel and held several public readings.
2008 Programs
The 5th annual Hanalei Writers’ Retreat Workshop, “Grace Under Duress” Guest Faculty Brian Doyle, January 11-13, 2008
Brian Doyle is the editor of Portland Magazine at the University of Portland, in Oregon -- "the finest spiritual magazine in America," says Annie Dillard. He is also the author of eight books of essays, nonfiction, and "proems," most recently Epiphanies & Elegies. Another collection of proems, Thirsty for the Joy, will be published in 2008 by One Day Hill in Australia.
The workshop is coordinated by PWC, in collaboration with Carol Wilcox, co-author of the best-selling He Mele Aloha, along with Hob Osterlund, national producer of the hospital-based Chuckle Channel.
Hawaii Book and Music Festival, May 17-18, 2008
PWC will have a booth at the Festival to promote our programs and provide an opportunity for attendees to become part of our Pacific Writers’ Ohana.
“A Pacific Book Affair”- PWC Fundraiser, May 2008
Watch for an update on our PWC celebration and book auction fundraiser for our Writers in the Schools Program.Coming soon!
In 2007, we expanded our partnerships and are working with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance, Halau Lokahi, Likelike Elementary School, the Missoula Writing Collaborative, the Hawai’i Writing Project, Manoa Journal, Bishop Museum and writing communities in Honolulu, Hanalei and Hana.
Mahalo for all your help in enabling us to achieve our mission of delivering writing programs for adults and young people and promoting environmental and nature writers.
Takiora Ingram
Susan O’Connor
Maile Meyer
Contact us:
Email:
Phone: 808-781-6147
P.O. Box
P.O. Box 11374
Honolulu, HI 96828
Website:www.pacificwriters.org
The Pacific Writers’ Connection is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Our programs are made possible by grants and donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. Tax deductible contributions will help us with our programs.
Recent funding has been received fromThe Charles W. Engelhard Foundation, The Prop Foundation, Bank of Hawai’i Foundation, the Atherton Family Foundation and the UH Center for Pacific Island Studies.
PWC Newsletter June 2007
Our Vision: We believe in the power of writing to change people’s lives and that writers help make the Pacific region a place of creativity and peace.
Aloha mai kakou,
Our second semi annual Newsletter is a good way to keep you, our partners, sponsors, friends and supporters, informed about our creative writing activities.We thank you all for your help in enabling us to achieve our mission of delivering writing programs for adults and young people and promoting environmental and nature writing and writers.
We continue to actively support and encourage the growth of Hawaiian and Pacific literature through writing workshops and public readings in Hawai’i and Pacific communities.This year we are continuing to provide writing programs in Hanalei (Kaua’i), Honolulu, and Hana, Maui.We have developed stronger partnerships with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance, the Missoula Writing Collaborative, the Hawai’i Writing Project, Manoa Journal and writing communities in Honolulu, Hanalei and Hana.
2007 Programs
Building on the success of previous writing initiatives, PWC’s programs for writers, readers and young people in 2007 include:
The HanaleiWriters’ Retreat Workshop, Speaking to the Ocean and the Land: Sharing poetry and stories, with poet Robert Sullivan and fiction writer/poet Anne Kennedy, was held at beautiful Limahuli Garden on Kaua’i, from January 5-7, 2007, targeting Kaua’i writers. Writers who participated gave us very positive feedback on this workshop, some examples:
Robet Sullivan and Anne Kennedy were excellent in nurturing and encouraging our writing aspirations, and their wise framing of the spiritual context within which all artists create.
I really appreciated the one-on-one time.
The individual feedback sessions were very helpful and the writing exercises original and inspiring.
The environment, in every aspect was above my expectations!
Celebrating Reading: Book Clubs and Literature Festival, April 27, 2007. PWC collaborated with the Hawai’i Writing Project and UH Manoa Journal to sponsor Tahitian novelist Celestine Hitiura Vaite (author of Breadfruit, Frangipani and Tiare) for this year’s Festival for teens. Celestine was a big hit with students who filled the room, with a number sitting on the floor to listen to her vibrant stories.The Festival had over 500 participants from all over the State. Congratulations to Lorna Hershinow for organizing yet another very successful Festival.
“My Hawaii” is a new PWC project for young writers, initiated this year in partnership with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance (HCA). Middle school students were invited to submit stories about their place within the natural environment. Over 320 stories and poems were received from students and were assessed by 33 reviewers. The 25 top writers’ poems and stories will be featured at the annual Hawai’i Conservation Conference on July 25, 2007.
Through this successful partnership with the HCA "My Hawaii" team, Chris Puttock, Kendall McCreary, and Mariza Silva, we are organizing the following activities for the winners at the upcoming Conference:
Tuesday July 24, 2007, 9-11am
We have organized a Nature Writers' Workshop exclusively for the 25 My Hawai’i winners and their teachers. This is a great opportunity for the young writers to meet professional Nature writers and learn from them. Some winners and their teachers are coming from the Big Island. In the afternoon the students will attend the Conservation Film Festival.
Wednesday July 25, 2007 10.30am-1.00pm
My Hawai’i Award Ceremony
Awards will be presented to the 25 winners at the Hawai’i Conservation Conference by Governor Lingle. Each winner will receive a copy of the My Hawaii Anthology 2007 filled with their stories and poems and well as other prizes.
After the award presentations we will have a "Story Blast" and "Poetry Slam" during lunchtime for those winners who would like to read their story or poem to the audience of conservation managers and scientists attending the conference.
PWC’s Writers in the Schools Program (WISP) is another new project for students which we are developing in collaboration with two ‘Oahu schools and the Missoula Writing Collaborative. It is designed to place writers in school classrooms for a year to show young people the power of words and help them find their voices as writers. We thank the Charles W. Engelhard Foundation and the Bank of Hawai’i Foundation for their support of this exciting program.
PWC invited Sheryl Noethe and Megan McNamer from the Missoula Writing Collaborative (MWC) to meetings in Hawai’i during the week of March 4-9, 2007, to help us start our new writers in the schools program.
PWC Directors Maile Meyer, Susan O’Connor and Takiora Ingram
finalize arrangements with Sheryl Noethe (front left) and Megan McNamer (center) of the Missoula Writing Collaborative on the Writers in the Schools Program .
The MWC have agreed to work collaboratively with us to start a pilot WISP in 2 schools on Oahu in Oct 2007.PWC Directors Susan O’Connor and Maile Meyer joined us in a series of meeting to seek support for our new program.
We held a very successful meeting with Principal Vernon Young and teachers, including Brad Kaiwi Lum, Hawaiian Studies teacher at Likelike Elementary School. The Principal has since confirmed that Likelike School will participate in the program.
We also met with Laara Albrett, Principal of Halau Lokahi Public Charter School and teachers, including Malama Solstad and Adeline Keama. Principal Albrett has also confirmed that they will participate.
Others who provided us with good advice for this program include Lois-Ann Yamanaka, (Na’au Center for Learning), Tim Choy, Linda Howe of Alexander and Baldwin, Inc. and Brant Chillingworth from the Bank of Hawai’i.
We also held meetings with Paul Lyons, at the UH English Department to seek help in identifying writers/teachers for the program and met with Petra Schatz from the Department of Education, who both expressed their support for the program.The visit ended with a meeting with the PWC Advisory Board at Native Books where we were joined by State Representative Mina Morita, Carol Wilcox, Frank Stewart, Lorna and Shel Hershinow, Brad Kaiwi Lum and Naomi Clark.
Mahalo for all the helpful discussions.We are now establishing a roster of resident writers’ to teach writing in the schools, so if you know of someone who is interested, please contact us.
PWC’s Public Readings and Book Launches 2007
We are planning the following public readings and book launches in the Fall:
Manoa Journal, Where the Rivers Meet --New writing from Australia, Frank Stewart, Editor, Larissa Behrendt, Barry Lopez and Mark Tredinnick, (Guest Editors).
Aloha Ni’ihau, a new book by Kimo Armitage, co-authored by Elama Kanahele and Keao NeSmith.
Creative New Zealand Fulbright Writers’ Residency
Each Fall, a writer of Pacific Island ancestry in Aotearoa New Zealand is selected for this 3 month residency based at the UH Center for Pacific Island Studies.In August, we will welcome the 2007 Creative New Zealand Fulbright scholar, Sarona Aiono-Iosefa, to the Hawai’i literary community. Sarona is a New Zealand-born Samoan children’s author who has written many children’s stories.
PWC’s Writing Workshops 2007
Hana Writers’ Retreat Workshop will be held in the Fall. More details later.
Please contact us if you are interested in participating in or helping us with any of our 2007 writing programs.
Mahalo nui loa for helping us to strengthen Pacific writing and writers and to inspire our creative writing community in Hawai’i.
Malama pono
Takiora Ingram
Susan O’Connor
Maile Meyer
Contact us:
Email:
Phone: 808-781-6147
The Pacific Writers’ Connection is a tax-exempt, charitable organization. Our programs are made possible by grants and donations from individuals, foundations and corporations. Tax deductible contributions will help us with our programs.
Recent Funding has been received from The Charles W. Engelhard Foundation, The Prop Foundation, Bank of Hawai’i Foundation, and the UH Center for Pacific Island Studies.
PWC Newsletter 2006
Aloha mai kakou,
We are pleased to report that the Pacific Writers’ Connection (PWC) is going from strength to strength in achieving its mission of delivering writing programs for adults and youth and promoting nature, and place writing and writers.
We continue to actively support the development of Pacific literature through writing workshops and public readings in communities in Hawaii and the Pacific. With writing programs from Hanalei (Kaua’i), to Honolulu, to Hana, Maui, and Tahiti, it has been an exciting and very productive year for all of us, our partners, and our supporters. Mahalo to all our sponsors, partners, ‘ohana and friends for your generous support.
2007 Programs
Building on the success of these exciting writing initiatives, PWC’s up-coming programs for writers, readers and young people include:
HanaleiWriters’ Retreat Workshop, Speaking to the Ocean and the Land: Sharing poetry and stories, with poet Robert Sullivan and fiction writer/poet Anne Sullivan, to be held at Limahuli Garden, Kaua’i, from January 5-7, 2007, targeting writers on Kaua’i.
Hana Writers’ Retreat Workshop, targets writers on East Maui, dates to be confirmed.
“My Hawaii” is a new PWC project for young writers, in collaboration with the Hawai’i Conservation Alliance (HCA). Middle school students will be invited to submit stories about their place within the natural environment. The 25 top stories and writers will be featured at HCA’s annual conference in July 2007.
Celebrating Reading: Book Clubs and Literature Festival, April 27, 2007. PWC is collaborating with the Hawai’i Writing Project and UH Manoa Journal to sponsor Tahitian novelist Celestine Hitiura Vaite (author of Breadfruit, Frangipani and Tiare) for next year’s Festival for teens, which attracts over 500 participants from all over the State.
Writers in the Schools Program is a new PWC pilot project for students that we are developing in collaboration with the Missoula Writing Collaborative. It is designed to place writers in school classrooms to show young people the power of words and help them find their voices as writers.
More Public Readings and book launches, to be announced.
Please contact us if you are interested in helping with any of our 2007 writing programs.
PWC’s Public Readings and Book Launches 2006
The year kicked off with a well attended public reading at the University of Hawai’i with Terry Tempest Williams on January 4 at UH Orvis Auditorium with a reception sponsored by the University of Hawaii Foundation. Mahalo to the UH Foundation for their generous support.
PWC sponsored a Public Reading with Maori Poet Robert Sullivan & Richard
Hamasaki on March 8, in collaboration and partnership with UH English Department and Manoa Journal, and UH Manoa Center for Pacific Islands Studies. Mahalo to our partners.
·"Restoring Songs of the Forest" -- on July 26 PWC organized a writers’ panel at the 2006 Hawai'i Conservation Conference, "Sustainability: Mauka to Makai" at the Hawai'i Convention Center in Honolulu. This highly successful public reading gave the Hawaii environment and conservation community a unique opportunity to hear four writers read from their works and speak about the urgency of sustaining Hawaiian endemic nature. Dr. John L. Cullineyspoke on his new book Islands in a Far Sea; The Fate of Nature in Hawaii; and Dr. Mark Walters launched his new book "Seeking the Sacred Raven: Politics and Extinction on a Hawaiian Island.Two emerging Hawaiian writers Kahikina de Silva (a Hawaiian language instructor, researcher and composer of mele Hawai’i and Maya Saffery (a Hawaiian language instructor and curriculum development specialist) both presented a Hawaiian view ofenvironmental sustainability through mo'olelo and malama aina. Their book on the Ahupua’a of Kailua will be published in 2007.
On July 27, we launched Dr. Mark Walter’s new book: Seeking the Sacred Raven: Politics and Extinction on a Hawaiian Island which documents the efforts by the State and federal government agencies and the environmental community to save the alala. The launch was coordinated in partnership with publishers Island Press and Native Books.
Varua Tupu book launches and celebrations
In August and October 2006, PWC co-sponsored several events to celebrate the publication of Varua Tupu ("The Spirit Grows")Varua Tupu, a book of indigenous writing from (Tahiti et ses Isles)Tahiti and Her Islands, is the first collection of English translations of contemporary fiction, memoirs, poems and essays by indigenous writers of Tahiti.It includes stunning photo essays, early photographs and rare paintings by the late Bobby Holcomb, a Hawaiian artist and musician who adopted Huahine as his home. Varua Tupu is a collection of moving and inspiring stories written by Indigenous authors from Tahiti and her Islands --- contemporary fiction, poetry, memoir and essays translated into English. The book also features original paintings by Bobby Holcomb, and photographic essays. It is edited by Frank Stewart, Kareva Mateata-Allain and Alexander Dale Mawyer.
On August 1, 2006 at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Hotel, PWC co-sponsored a media preview and a special gathering for the Pacific Islands community featuring Varua Tupu and an exhibit of original art work by Bobby Holcomb, the artist featured in the book. This preview was held in partnership with Outrigger Hotels and Resorts, Tahiti Tourism, The Manoa Journal and Barbara Pope Books.
·On August 15, 2006, PWC coordinated the first launch of Varua Tupuin partnership withUH’s Manoa Journal at La Maison James Norman Hall, in Papeete, Tahiti. PWC organized a special delegation of 20 people including writers, book designers, and literary and cultural leaders from Hawai’i who traveled to Tahiti for this celebration.The Varua Tupu launch in Pape’ete and Huahine was a collaborative partnership with The Manoa Journal, Barbara Pope Books, Tahitian writers, the Tahitian Government and the James Norman Hall Museum.
From October 1-7, 2006, PWC coordinated a week long program for 6 writers and community leaders from Tahiti and Huahine to Hawai’I to celebrate the launch of Varua Tupu, which was held at the Bishop Museum in Honolulu.We were pleased to host four writers who contributed to Varua Tupu – Flora Devatine, Rai a Mai, Celestine Hitiura Vaite, Kareva Mateata-Allain and community leaders Tea Hirshon and Dorothy Levy. The week’s cultural programs included three public readings, a colloquium at the UH English Department, visits to UH classes at the English Dept, Hawaiian Studies and Tahitian language program, and conversations with Tahitian writers and cultural leaders.
Flora Devatine reads one of her inspiring Tahitian poems at PWC’s Public Reading held at Native Books in October 2006. Tahitian writer Rai a Mai (left) and Frank Stewart also participated. (Photo by Takiora Ingram)
PWC’s Writing Workshops 2006
The third annual HanaleiWriters’ Retreat Workshop organized and sponsored by PWC, was led by Terry Tempest Williams at the home of Carol Wilcox in Hanalei, Kaua’i from January 6-8, 2006. PWC was able to provide support for two Hawaiian writers, Ku’ualoha Ho’omanawanui and Brandy McDougall to participate, with sponsorship from UH Manoa Center for Pacific Island Studies.
Hana Writers’ Retreat Workshop On May 12-13, PWC coordinated and organized our second annual and public reading in partnership with Ala Kukui Hana Retreat Center.Hawaiian writers Ku’ualoha Ho’omanawanui, editor of ‘Oiwi Literary Journal and Brandy Nalani McDougall, 2004 recipient of the James Vaughan Award for Poetry were the workshop tutors and provided great leadership. This inspirational workshop was held at the beautiful Ala Kukui Hana Retreat Center and was attended by 18 participants. We thank Ala Kukui for supporting this program and look forward to future writing programs in partnership with them.The highly successful public reading was held at Wananalua Church and included readings by Ku’ualoha and Brandy and 6 writers from the Hana area, including Erin Lindbergh, Kirsten Whatley, David Greenberg, Bob Getzen, Dean Wariner and Sheila Agnitsch. It was a great opportunity for local writers hone their writing skills and to read their work publicly, some for the first time.They all requested that we do it again next year.
Writing Programs for Young People 2006
On April 8 PWC helped sponsor a writer for Celebrating Reading: Book Clubs and Literature Festival for teens (UH), in collaboration with The Hawai'i Writing Project, with over 500 youth participating.
Creative New Zealand Fulbright Writers’ Residency
Every fall, a writer of Pacific Island ancestry in Aotearoa New Zealand is selected for this 3 month residency based at UH Center for Pacific Island Studies.
On November 29, 2006, PWC welcomed the Creative New Zealand Fulbright scholar Victor Rodger to the Hawai’i literary community. Victor Rodger is a playwright of Samoan ancestry from Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Mahalo nui loa for all the support from our partners, sponsors, writers and friends for helping us to increase awareness of Pacific writing and literature and strengthen and inspire our creative writing community in Hawai’i.
Malama pono
Takiora Ingram
Susan O’Connor
Maile Meyer
Contact us:
Email:
Phone: 808-781-6147
Sponsors: The Charles W. Engelhard Foundation, The Prop Foundation, UH Center for Pacific Island Studies, UH Foundation, Tahiti Tourism, Carol Wilcox
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