Varua Tupu

Varua Tupu strengthens the ancient ties between Hawai'i and the islands of French Polynesia by translating the voices of an emerging Ma'ohi (Polynesian) literary community into English and showcasing the cultural arts of the region in general. This volume features translations of a variety of locally celebrated genres, including poetry, memoir, and fiction. Though this work is focused on the current moment, it includes fresh translations of poet Henri Hiro, who served as a spark to the tinder of the Tahitian cultural renaissance in the 1960s and 1970s and who continues to inspire the currrent generation of literary activists. Since the eighteenth century, a mythic and misleading image of Tahiti has become familiar to the world at large. Varua Tupu represents the first opportunity for the international community to experience the many islands of Te Ao Ma'ohi through their own voices and visual arts.