Mana Moana - Toikupu Māori Moana in English

Mana Publications produced collections of creative writings by Tangata Moana and Tangata Whenua from 1974. It was led and founded by Marjorie Crocombe who also ran the South Pacific University’s extension centre in Suva, Fiji. As a branch of the South Pacific Creative Arts Society, Mana was set up to support and publish South Pacific writers in a time when the Pacific was being too often misrepresented by writers with a colonial or European lens. It was time to nurture and prioritise Moana voices. From here, Mana grew into the publishing strong arm of the South Pacific. 

The language and literature journal Mana Review: a South Pacific journal of Language and Literature soon followed in 1976 as a supplement to the collections. Mana Review’s first editor, Subramani, said the journal was intended as a platform to discuss Moana literature and criticisms and review in a backdrop of colonisation of which writers were drawing. The following year, Mana Review’s kaupapa shifted slightly to favour creative writing over literary criticisms. Hence it became Mana: A South Pacific Journal of Language and Literature.

As with the literary criticisms and reviews, these newly published creative writings reflected the social and geopolitical spirit of the times. The Moana was rapidly changing and these socio-cultural differences were being keenly and critically observed by Indigenous writers and their communities. The journal was set up with the support of a cohort of radical thinkers who worked at various offshoots of the University of South Pacific. Like harakeke, the offshoots of Moana writers were wrapped around with publishing and editorial guidance of parent publisher Marjorie Crocombe and her Mana Publications, and nurtured.

Some Modern Poetry from Fiji, 1974, edited by Albert Wendt, was the first poetry collection in a series to be published by Mana Publications. The series was an attempt to bring to readers the new and dynamic literature being written by writers about their lived experiences in not only Fiji but all around the postcolonial Pacific. Many of the poems from these collections were published in Mana Journal, “the literary magazine of the Society.” (Subramani, Mana Review V.1, 1976). Here is a little taster from the poetry collection Korero by Makiuti Tongia from Kuki Airani: 

Both Mana Publications and its literary journal were essential in supporting wāhine Māori writers. Eventually mana wāhine including Evelyn Patuawa Nathan, Trixie Te Arama Menzies, and Toi Te Rito Maihi would have their early collections of writings and art published in Suva, Fiji by Mana. A welcome breakthrough for these great writers after likely experiencing a brick wall of literary gatekeepers and publishers in New Zealand.

It is no wonder Marjorie Crocombe, lifted her indigenous sisters in Aotearoa to the sky to be seen and celebrated. She had contacts all over the Moana, including Aotearoa. She was a scholar, educator, creative writer and freedom fighter with many connections and even though she taught for the university in Suva, she organised the South Pacific Arts Festival  in 1972 without their help (Long, Hayward, 2024). In spite of this, the event went ahead. I imagine that it would have been a vital and conducive place to connect with Polynesian creatives and editors from around the motu(s), including Aotearoa, yielding many longstanding relationships based on common kaupapa such as mana and decolonisation.

World renowned scholar/poet/playwright Teresia Teaiwa published her early plays and poetry with Mana and frequently featured in the Mana Journal. Artists and thinkers such as Teresia Teaiwa and her brilliant mana wāhine counterparts were able to give voice to their experiences as Indigenous wāhine. They put their energies into fighting for a fairer, more equal society for Indigenous communities. However, this fight wasn’t without a toll. It was tireless work and demanded often super large amounts of energy that left artists without reserves for other spiritual fights. We lost “Big Teke Energy” wāhine toa too young and too soon as a result of such demands on already depleted energy reserves needed for well-being.

Please visit the Mana Moana display to experience for yourself the works of incredible thinkers and creative practitioners such as Teresia and other mana Māori Moana ~ a radical cohort that shook the pages of Mana like a tree, with siva skill and warrior energies. 

You can find us, e hoa mā, on the second floor of Auckland Central Library in the Research Centre. Please call in! We welcome you here. We welcome you to respond with your stories and experiences (including your corrections) kanohi kitea or in the comments. We look forward to seeing, hearing and learning from you. 

Mauri ora!

Author: Rin Smeaton