Hone Tuwhare, 1922-2008

Hone Tuwhare, one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed and beloved poets, died in his sleep yesterday, 16 January 2008.

Born near Kaikohe in 1922, of Ngā Puhi, Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Korokoro, Tautahi, Uri o Hau, Te Popoto and Scottish descent, Tuwhare began reading and writing poetry when he was an apprentice at the Otahuhu Railways Workshop. He began writing seriously in the mid 1950s, and some of his earliest poems were published in the Māori magazine Te Ao Hou. You can read poems here and here , and an article about Tuwhare from Te Ao Hou here.

His first collection of poetry, No Ordinary Sun, was published in 1964. It was the first book of poems in the English language published by a Māori poet.

In 1969 Tuwhare was awarded the Burns Fellowship at the University of Otago. During his time in Dunedin he met artist Ralph Hotere, who created illustrations for four books of poetry Tuwhare published in the 1970s.

In the 1970s also Tuwhare became involved in Māori cultural and political initiatives. He was an organiser of the first Māori Writers and Artists Conference at Te Kaha in 1973 and participated in the 1975 Māori Land March.

Tuwhare was a prolific and popular writer, and received many recognitions. He was awarded two honorary degrees, and won two Montana New Zealand Book Awards. In 2001 he was named the second Te Mata Estate Poet Laureate.

In 2003 Tuwhare was named one of 10 living Icon Artists by the Arts Foundation of New Zealand, and received the first Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement for poetry.

There’s lots of biographical info about Hone Tuwhare on the Book Council website, and a great timeline on this Hone Tuwhare website. You can read more poems here.

Image: Cover photograph of Hone Tuwhare by Ans Westra, from Te Ao Hou, No. 48 (September 1964).