One of New Zealand's most celebrated and renowned writers has finally told her story. Centred on her traditional ancestral land of Hongoeka Bay, a little north of Wellington on the west coast, Patricia Grace tells her story, the view from her windows inspiring her own story telling, stirring her memories and letting us in to glimpse what makes a writer. Growing up in a world where her Maori and her Pakeha heritages were of equal importance in shaping the young Patricia, she nevertheless faced plenty of prejudice through her life. Bright, confident, a gifted writer from childhood, growing up in Wellington and on her family's land just north of the city, she was surrounded by love, family, strong values, books and reading from a young age. Her father was in the 28th (Maori) Battalion during WWII, absent for some years leaving Patricia and her sister in the care of strong women. Her father's experiences were the inspiration for a number of her books and stories in later years. Never handed anything on a plate, Patricia and her husband have built their own strong and loving family, her maturity and growth as a writer coming from her life experience, her commitment to her ancestral land, her commitment to Maori land and women's issues shining through. As you would expect Patricia Grace's writing is beautiful and lyrical, cementing her place in this country's literary heritage as one of it's most enduring writers.
No comments:
Post a Comment