NZ Poets Laureate
A DigitalNZ Story by Joan McCracken, Alexander Turnbull Library
Images & sounds of the New Zealand Poets Laureate
Poet Laureate, poetry, poets, Bill Manhire, Hone Tuwhare, Elizabeth Smither, Brian Turner, Jenny Bornholdt, Michele Leggott, Cilla McQueen, Ian Wedde, Vincent O’Sullivan, CK Stead, Selina Tusitala Marsh, David Eggleton, Chris Tse
Background to the Poet Laureate award
In 2007 the government established the New Zealand Poet Laureate Award to raise the profile of poetry in New Zealand. The award succeeded the Te Mata Estate Winery Poet Laureate Award, which began in 1996.
The Laureates
Thirteen poets have been selected since the inception of the award in 1996:
Te Mata Estate Winery Poets Laureate:
Bill Manhire
Hone Tuwhare
Elizabeth Smither
Brian Turner
Jenny Bornholdt
New Zealand Poets Laureate:
Michele Leggott
Cilla McQueen
Ian Wedde
Vincent O’Sullivan
CK Stead
Selina Tusitala Marsh
David Eggleton
Chris Tse
For more information about Poet Laureate award - and to read the Laureates' blog
Poets laureate and their tokotoko, 2008
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Nigel Brown; Antarctic Stone, acrylic on canvas, words by Bill Manhire
Antarctica New Zealand
Bill Manhire Mutes and Earthquakes
Victoria University of Wellington
Hone Tuwhare, 1986
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Poems, novels, and now short stories — Nights at the Embassy — Elizabeth Smither
Victoria University of Wellington
Elizabeth Smither
Puke Ariki
Brian Turner
Christchurch City Libraries
Jenny Bornholdt
Victoria University of Wellington
Benzina
University of Otago
Pathway to the Sea
University of Otago
1984 Ian Wedde
Victoria University of Wellington
Vincent O'Sullivan
Christchurch City Libraries
1981 Vincent O'Sullivan
Victoria University of Wellington
Lucky Table Vincent O'Sullivan
Victoria University of Wellington
Webb, Murray 1947-:Prof Karl Stead (circa 1997-1999).
Alexander Turnbull Library
Selina Tusitala Marsh performs 'Pussycat'
Radio New Zealand
The Kiwi poet who read for the Queen
Radio New Zealand
The Mixtape: Bill Manhire
Radio New Zealand
Norman Meehan, Bill Manhire and Hannah Griffin
Radio New Zealand
My Sunshine
Alexander Turnbull Library
Going West Books and Writers Festival, 1997.
Auckland Libraries
Interviewing Hone Tuwhare at Kaka Point, 3 December 2007
University of Canterbury Library
Hone Tuwhare
NZ On Screen
Interview with Hone Tuwhare, tape one
Alexander Turnbull Library
Reading poems
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
The Write Stuff - Emily Perkins and Bill Manhire
NZ On Screen
'Magnitude', by Bill Manhire, The Curioseum
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Elizabeth Smither
Radio New Zealand
Brian Turner
Radio New Zealand
Brian Turner - poet, writer and professor
Radio New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt
Radio New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt
Radio New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt reads poems at the launch of her collection, 'This big face', tape one
Alexander Turnbull Library
Taking it Seriously - Michele Leggott
National Library of New Zealand
Interview with Michele Leggott, digital documents
Alexander Turnbull Library
Michelle Leggot
Radio New Zealand
Kaleidoscope - Cilla McQueen
NZ On Screen
Diary interviews with Cilla McQueen, digital abstracts
Alexander Turnbull Library
New Poet Laureate
Radio New Zealand
Vincent O'Sullivan
Radio New Zealand
Bill Manhire, Colin
Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa
Ian Wedde crowned NZ poet laureate
Radio New Zealand
Outgoing Poet Laureate - Ian Wedde
Radio New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt reading poems, tape one
Alexander Turnbull Library
Oliver Stead
Radio New Zealand
Christian Karlson Stead.
National Library of New Zealand
Interview with Karl Stead, tape one
Alexander Turnbull Library
CK Stead named as New Zealand's newest Poet Laureate
Radio New Zealand
Kaleidoscope - CK Stead
NZ On Screen
Mercury Lane - Series One, Episode 13
NZ On Screen
Poets laureate, 2008
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
First Pasifika poet awarded NZ Poet Laureate award
Radio New Zealand
Cilla McQueen - Poet Laureate
Radio New Zealand
Outgoing Poet Laureate - Ian Wedde
Radio New Zealand
NZ poet laureate launches new poetry book
Radio New Zealand
Vincent O'Sullivan: poets and poetry
Radio New Zealand
Poet Michele Leggott on exploring light and darkness
Radio New Zealand
Ian Wedde : rules of verse
Radio New Zealand
Michele Leggott
Radio New Zealand
Selina Tusitala Marsh: the force behind Pasifika poetry
Radio New Zealand
Jenny Bornholdt - A Selection of Poems
Radio New Zealand
Poet Laureate - Michelle Leggatt
Radio New Zealand
New Zealand Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala-Marsh
Tagata Pasifika
Selina Tusitala Marsh performs 'Warrior Poetry'
Radio New Zealand
Selina Tusitala Marsh 'Orange Crayon Stick Figure Man'
Radio New Zealand
Book review - The Queen's Poem by Selina Tusitala Marsh
Radio New Zealand
Poetry by Chris Tse, NZ Poet Laureate
Christchurch City Libraries
Digital ephemera relating to Chris Tse
Alexander Turnbull Library
NZ Poet Laureate Chris Tse: Photogenesis
Radio New Zealand
Poet David Eggleton at Ko Aotearoa Tātou | We are New Zealand
Christchurch City Libraries
Poet Laureate's Choice - an event in the WORD Christchurch Spring Festival 2020
Christchurch City Libraries
David Eggleton: The mad Kiwi ranter. Poetryyyy.
Victoria University of Wellington
Eggleton, David Burns Fellow
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Charles Brasch, Karl Stead and Janet Frame
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Hone Tuwhare and Ralph Hōtere
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Hone Tuwhare. 16 January, 2008
Alexander Turnbull Library
Hone Tuwhare
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Hone Tuwhare
Alexander Turnbull Library
Hone Tuwhare
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Hone Tuwhare. 20 January, 2008
Alexander Turnbull Library
Hone Tuwhare 1922-2008. No ordinary son... 18 January, 2008
Alexander Turnbull Library
Hone Tuwhare and other men talking
Alexander Turnbull Library
Poet Hone Tuwhare writing in his notepad during a stop on the Maori Land March
Alexander Turnbull Library
Poets
Alexander Turnbull Library
Portrait of Elizabeth Smither
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Elizabeth Smither
Puke Ariki
Interview with Brian Turner
Alexander Turnbull Library
(Robert Burns Fellow 1984)
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Bones
University of Otago
Jenny Bornholdt, 2009
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
Gregory O’Brien and Jenny Bornholdt (after Robin Morrison) ; Matthew Grace; 2015; 2015.019
New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pūkenga Whakaata
Michele Leggott
Alexander Turnbull Library
Michelle Leggott ('Quote/Unquote')
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Michael King Young Writers Programme, 2009
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage
McQueen, Cilla
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Cilla McQueen, poet
South Canterbury Museum
Cilla McQueen
Hocken Collections - Uare Taoka o Hākena, University of Otago
Ian Wedde reading. Poetry Night, Globe Hotel, Wakefield Street, Auckland
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Opening of exhibition State of Light by Bill Culbert at Peer Gallery, London
Alexander Turnbull Library
Ian Wedde named Poet Laureate
Radio New Zealand
Ian Wedde, 1990
Manatū Taonga, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage