Toi Kupu | a Tangata Whenua and Tangata o le Moana celebration of spoken word

Liam Jacobson

Liam Jacobson (Kāi Tahu) is a poet and artist (etc) from Manurewa. Their poems have been shared in galleries, pubs and alleyways across Aotearoa and overseas. Liam’s first anthology of poems, Neither, was published by Dead Bird Books in 2023.

Photo credit: Gabi Maffey

Ivy Lyden-Hancy

Ivy Lyden-Hancy (Te Rarawa, Ngāti Wairere) is a poet born and raised in Papakura. Ivy has been published numerous times in Spoiled Fruit: Queer Poetry from Aotearoa (2023), Rat World magazine (2023), A Liminal Gathering (2023) and A Vocabulary of Rangatahi Poets, (2022). Ivy’s lived experiences as tangata Pasifika flows heavily into her works as she journeys through the transitions of te pō, te kore, and te ao.

Photo credit: Taila Luani

Talia Stanley

Talia Stanley is a youth worker, facilitator and spoken word artist from Tāmaki Makaurau. Talia has an extensive history of poetry coaching, judging, writing and performing and is a JAFA Poetry Slam winner. Talia is currently working for Action Education, writing themes involving body autonomy and disability advocacy through lived experience.

Photo credit: Peniel Fa’amausili

Stellar Aigagalefili Makarita Pritchard

Stellar Aigagalefili Makarita Pritchard is an orator and storyteller hailing from the island of Sāmoa. A daughter of two families, her given and her chosen the house of Coven Aucoin, she is a spoken word poet, winner of JAFA Poetry Slam (2019), Word the Frontline finalist, and the winner of Word Up (2019).

Photo credit: Geoffery Matautia

Koko

Koko, a Pasifika poet from South Aukilani, is trying to do their best to pioneer the way their parents taught them to. They identify as Queer & Non-binary and aspire to be rich and successful in the languages of love , wisdom and friendship. ‘May Toi Kupu inspire and reveal to you all the truths of our people – Tangata Whenua and Tangata o le Moana.’

Photo credit: Sole Photography