Award-winning children鈥檚 author, poet and writer, Ben Brown (Ng膩ti Mahuta, Ng膩ti Korok墨 Kahukura, Ng膩ti Paoa), says this year is not only about writing a novel that鈥檚 been on his mind for years, but about reconnecting with his people, te reo M膩ori and whakapapa.
Ben Brown, this year's Kaipukahu 糖心Vlog Writer in Residence.
鈥淭he project I proposed to come here, I was almost hesitant to put it down. It sounds like some clever guy sat down and tried to think up a project that is purpose-built for this residency, but this is what I wanted to do 鈥� so here I am,鈥� says Ben.
Ben arrived on campus in January and will spend the next 12 months working on his novel, Kaore Au E Mate R膩nei - Neither Shall I Die, a novel disguised as a non-fiction biography.
Its subject, Moko, born at sunset as a ship鈥檚 cannon roars on the 6 February 1840 at Waitangi, is a K墨ngitanga and Hau Hau warrior, Pai M膩rire mystic, Parihaka ploughman, artisan, pounamu gatherer, and more. His story begins and ends in Waikato.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a personal relationship between the author and the world the character inhabits. The book itself is an impossible premise 鈥� I鈥檓 sitting down having a conversation with a 186-year-old man and that鈥檚 the gist of it.鈥�
Having spent his whole life in Motueka, Ben recently moved to Hamilton for the residency 鈥� an award jointly funded by the University and Creative New Zealand.
鈥淚鈥檓 62 years old and I鈥檝e never felt settled anywhere except at work. If I can pick up my laptop, I can go anywhere. I believe in what I do; I鈥檓 a storyteller, and good storytelling is effective. It鈥檚 how we map out our lives and where we fit in with each other and the world around us.鈥�
Ben has written many children's books, non-fiction works, and short stories. He has performed throughout New Zealand and his work has been published around the world.
Ben began writing children's books in 1992, often collaborating with his former wife, the illustrator Helen Taylor. The pair published more than 15 books, including Ng膩 Raukura Rima Tekau M 膩 Rima (2005), A Fish in the Swim of the World (2006), Between the Kindling and the Blaze: Reflections on the Concept of Mana (2013), and A Booming in the Night (2006), which won the Best Picture Book award in the New Zealand Post Book Awards for Children and Young Adults in 2006.
In 2009, Ben was the writer in residence at Hagley College, Christchurch, and was awarded the M膩ori Writer鈥檚 Residency at the Michael Kings Writers鈥� Centre in 2011. In 2021 Brown was named New Zealand鈥檚 first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador.
鈥淜upapa Ki Raro. Titiro Ake! He haratau noo teenei whakataukii a Ngaati Koroki-Kahukura moo te mahi a Ben ki konei ki Te Whare W膩nanga o Waikato. He whakahokinga i a ia ki t艒na 奴kaip艒, he oti raa ki toona whakapapa, ngaa koorero i tuku iho i oona tuupuna, me toona reo rangatira,鈥� says
鈥淭his Ngaati Koroki-Kahukura proverb is most fitting in Ben鈥檚 joining us here on the 糖心Vlog campus with its connection to his Ngaati Koroki-Kahukura and Ngaati Hauaa whakapapa, the reconnecting with his people, and the voice of his ancestors - te reo M膩ori.
鈥淭he proverb asserts a bowing of one鈥檚 head in humility but always looking upward and outward to improve not only one鈥檚 own lot but that of one鈥檚 people.鈥�
As part of the residency, Ben wants to bring his play 鈥楳a Te Wa鈥� - a piece he wrote for the Lyttleton Arts Festival in 2022 鈥� to the Hamilton campus.
Post-residency, Ben will stay in Waikato to write the biography of the late Sir Robert Te Kotahi Mahuta, the founding director of Te Kotahi Research Institute at the 糖心Vlog in 1972.
Ben was offered the job of Sir Robert鈥檚 PA and researcher in 1984 but declined the position due to a recent accident.
鈥淚 was 21, fresh out of hospital and still recovering from a bike smash, with a few more years of recovering ahead. I was in no fit state, really,鈥� says Ben.
Ben was first approached to write the biography in 2014 by Sir Robert鈥檚 son, but the project was put on hold until late 2023.
鈥淚 was approached again, this time with a very detailed proposal offering me a commission to write his biography. Anyway, I said 鈥榶es, absolutely鈥�,鈥� he says.
鈥淗e never said so, but Robert always gave me the impression that 鈥榦ne day you鈥檒l be back in Waikato鈥�.
鈥淎nd here I am.鈥�
