Peter Tupou
Koe Halafakakavakava: Mei Tonga ki 'Aotealoa
Petelo Ng H K O Tupou
HB/220x145/IllusB&W. 72 pp. English/Tongan
ISBN: 9780908618095

Peter/Petelo speaks for those from the Pacific who have left their islands and settled in New Zealand. The poems and illustrations in this book are the poems and visual space of Tonga and its people. They capture the inner life and feelings of a Tongan in a manner rarely seen before. - with its religious undertones, strong sense of family, earthy humour and romance combined with an intense longing. Simple and direct, these poems and line illustrations are a gateway into the bridge between Pacific cultures.
These poems are also a door into this very private inner world of a culture struggling to gain roots in a new country while looking back to their roots in the old world. They deserve a wide audience.
May these poems travel in the hearts of Tongan people everywhere.