“i am the dreams of your tipuna”: constructing Oceanic memory in contemporary anglophone Māori literature

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Journal Article
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Publisher
Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies
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Date
2018
Authors
John, Leonie
Abstract

Drawing on the creative output of Witi Ihimaera, Apirana Taylor and Patricia Grace, this article examines how memories related to Oceania are woven into these authors’ prose and verse narratives. After a brief introduction of the concept of memory, as well as the selected literary works, the analysis will be subdivided into three broad strands: firstly, the Māori notion of whakapapa and its potential for Oceanic connectivity; secondly, different mechanisms of memory transmission featured in the literary works; thirdly, the representation of special objects embodying or aiding memories. These analytical strands lead to the conclusion that the authors feature various strategies of promoting Oceanic memories, yet are similar in their display of a strong sense of connection and their inclusion of local specificity. It furthermore becomes evident that indigenous memory networks and continuity are promoted.

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Citation
Keywords
whakapapa, transmission, taonga, memory, Māori, literature
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ANZSRC fields of research
Rights
CC BY 4.0