Tongan, Samoan and Palagi poet Karlo Mila reads from her book The Goddess Muscle and Fijian poet Daren Kamali performs his poetry and accompanies himself on traditional Fijian musical instruments.

Performance poets Karlo Mila and Daren Kamali trade lines onstage at Auckland's Glen Eden Playhouse. (A highlight from the 2021 Going West Writers Festival)

In a lively session from the gala night opening of the 2021 Going West literary festival, Karlo Mila and Daren Kamali take turns performing their poetry to an attentive audience.

Their work explores a variety of subjects, including life among Pasifika communities in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Listen to Karlo Mila read from her book The Goddess Muscle and Daren Kamali recite his poetry while playing traditional Fijian musical instruments

Related:

Pasifika voices heard on the main stage at COP21

Karlo Mila interview with Kathryn Ryan

Daren Kamali about to embark month-long Mad Doggerel Cabaret tour

Daren Kamali revitalising the Fijian tradition of ulumate

About the writers

Karlo Mila

Dr Karlo Mila (MNZM) is an award winning Pasifika poet of Tongan / Palangi descent. Her third poetry book The Goddess Muscle was released in 2020. Her first book won the First Best Book Award at the New Zealand literary awards in 2005. She is the Programme Director Mana Moana Experience at Leadership New Zealand and is the founder and creator of Mana Moana - aimed at elevating and harnessing indigenous Pacific knowledge for contemporary living and leadership.

Daren Kamali

Daren Kamali is a Pacific poet and the Senior Pacific Curator at Auckland Libraries. His poetry books include Tales, Poems and Songs from the Underwater World (2011), Squid Out of Water: The Evolution (2014), and What Becomes of the Flying Squid? (2016). He has also released two albums, Story (2000) and Keep it Real (2005). Kamali is internationally acknowledged, being the Fulbright Pacific Writer in Residence at the University of Hawai'i, Manoa 2012, and holding a residency at the International Writers Program in the USA in 2014.

This session was broadcast in association with the Going West Literary Festival

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details