Q & A with Isla Huia

Isla Huia (Te Āti Haunui a-Pāpārangi, Uenuku) is a te reo Māori teacher and kaituhi from Ōtautahi. Her work has been published in journals such as Catalyst, Takahē, Pūhia and Awa Wāhine, and she has performed at numerous events and festivals around Aotearoa. Her debut collection of poetry, Talia (Dead Bird Books, 2023), was shortlisted for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry at the 2024 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards.

What does poetry mean to you and why is it important?

To me, poetry means connection, understanding, vulnerability and expression. It’s an avenue by which we can communicate that which can often feel impossible to express in other ways. Poetry gives us the opportunity to seek connection and find relatability in other’s words, but at the same time allows us to feel and experience worlds that might be far from our own realities. It is important because it is a mouthpiece through which we get to share our stories, with the power to curate our own ways of telling them.

Why does Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day matter?

As a kaiako, I’ve found that there are still some people who view poetry as a solitary, quiet, old-fashioned pursuit, and one that they feel doesn’t connect with them personally. Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day is the antithesis of this idea and shows that poetry is a powerful practice that is communal, public, and important. It puts poetry in the spotlight – giving those of us who read and write a day to celebrate our artform, and giving those who don’t an opportunity to connect with poetry, perhaps for the first time.

How would you describe your kaupapa as a poet?

As a poet, I think of my kaupapa as relatively simple – I am to tell the truth as it is to me, to feel that I understand myself and world better after having written a poem than I did before it, to document the stories of my life and of those around me, and to connect with others for whom my work resonates and makes them feel understood.

What poetry are you reading and loving right now?

I’ve read a couple of books by international authors in the past few months that I have loved, and felt extremely connected to, despite the differences in our environments and experiences. I loved ‘Three Poems’ by British poet Hannah Sullivan, as well as ‘Other People’s Comforts Keep Me Up Night’ by American author Morgan Parker. Closer to home, I’ve absolutely adored ‘Neither’ by Liam Jacobson (Kāi Tahu), and ‘Plastic’ by Stacey Teague (Ngāti Maniapoto / Ngā Puhi). I also recently delved into ‘Into The World of Light: An Anthology of Māori Writing’ which was edited by Witi Ihimaera and D.S. Long in 1982, which was an incredible insight into the Māori writing of the time.

Have you discovered new poets or new poems on one of Phantom's poetry posters? How do you feel about getting poetry out to the community in this way?

I remember seeing my honorary aunties Alice Andersen and Danielle O’Halloran’s poetry on a Phantom Billsticker poster just after I had finished high school. It was incredible seeing people whose work I loved, and who I absolutely looked up to, have their writing out in public to be viewed by everyone. I think that it’s an incredible way of getting poetry out to the community, removing it from its silo and scene, and putting it in front of people who may not otherwise engage with it.

What did you enjoy most about writing your Ockham shortlisted book?

Writing it with my best friend Talia in mind was the best, and also most challenging, part of writing my book. I wanted it to be raw and reflective of the loss I felt after she passed, but I also wanted just to feel her presence in the poems and the book itself, and in the writing process. Knowing that she was with me, and that the book is named after her and features her artwork on the cover – those have always been the most important elements of this journey to me.