We’re delighted with the quality of entries for the 2015 Ika Prize in creative writing for the
stage and the page. Two of the finalists incorporated te reo Māori in their poems, while
everyone wrote with passion from their own points of view: about family dealing with
serious illness, or animal rights, or the objectification of women, or lyrical experience of
idealised love, or the sadness of disrespectful love, or the troubled lives of characters, with
the resonant rhythms of poetry in performance or to be ‘heard’ written down. It is
encouraging to see these courageous new voices shining through. Congratulations to all of
those who made the shortlist.
PAGE CATEGORY REPORT: Robert Sullivan
The narrator in Emily Fan’s winning poem, ‘Starlight’, refers to a first love and his flattery.
The term ‘me te wai korari’ is a reference to the sweet nectar of the flax flower which is just
some of the flattery the narrator experiences. Inevitably, there is a betrayal. The poem
masterfully conveys that betrayal by showing us the feelings of the narrator. There is a
reference to the legendary figure, Hinemoa, famous for her beauty and for her idealised
relationship with Tutanekai. This again masterfully undercuts the brevity of the relationship
described in the poem.
First runner up, Sacha Kawe’s poem “Ruby” is remarkably mature. The persona voice is
gritty, seedy, all-knowing about a tawdry world. One sees hardness in this snapshot of a
tough life on the streets. It’s quite an achievement for a young writer, and made the
decision quite difficult.
A highly commended certificate goes to Sophie Macmillan for her joyous poem ‘Rainstorms’.
Its exuberance and flowing run-on lines really captured the feeling and energy of rapture.
Another highly commended certificate goes to Roimata Prendergast for her poem
‘Emmeline.’ The word-play and the vocabulary was impressive in this poem. Its serious
theme concerning a parental relationship shows a serious young writer at work here who
will be someone to watch in the future.
My congratulations to all the winners.
STAGE CATEGORY REPORT: Michelle Johansson
It’s been a privilege to judge the Stage category of the Ika prize. Spoken word always makes
me feel humbled and quite blessed to hear the brave new voices coming through. My huge
thanks must go to the wonderful spoken word poetry advocates in schools, in their work
with young people, and through programmes such as Word: the Front Line, Action
Education, SUP: Stand Up Poetry and Rising Voices. Particular thanks for a last-minute drive
in stage entries to Rewa Worley and Dietrich Soakai.
First runner up in the stage category was Sarina Towers with her poem ‘H(ibernation)’. Her
poem uses the extended metaphor of winter and ties it in wordplay to the idea of “being
cool”. Through the lens of winter she describes some of the social pressures of being a
young person engaged in the turbulent act of growing up.
The winner in the Ika stage category is the amazing Manuha'apai Vaeatangitau, one of this
year’s Rising Voices. Manu has a natural gift for performance coupled with a beautiful kind
of humility about his work. Manu’s poem ‘I Exist’ is a reclamation of power that leads us full
circle from despair to enlightenment. His clever use of word-play, rhythm and rhyme from
the perspective of a minority within a minority takes us with him on his journey.
Drawing on ancestral Pasifika bloodlines of orators, musicians and healers, Manu decolonizes through the spoken word, in this politically savvy presentation.