Irish and Māori writers project online event 18 November 2021 – Posted in: Nuacht, News

Irish and Māori writers project online event

Wednesday, 24 November 20:00 online via Zoom

Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/95238589068?pwd=bU5UMlQ4SVlJVTM4TlZlZHJBSWNwdz09

Our thanks to Ealaín na Gaeltachta for their support of this event.

The people of the Irish Gaeltacht and the Māori in New Zealand share much common ground. Both cultures have a strong link to their myth and folklore which is intertwined with landscape and language. Both peoples share a history of colonisation. As well as these similarities, writers from both groups are working in lesser-used languages.

In this project two writers from the Galway Gaeltacht and two Māori writers were invited to create new work under the title ‘Dinnseanchas’ (placename folklore / topography), and to present the new work at the Cúirt festival in Galway in April 2021 and at the WORD festival in Christchurch in New Zealand at the beginning of November, 2021. In the intervening time, the writers translated each others’ work (via English translations). Workshops were organised for other writers during this time as well under the same topic.

At this online event on Wednesday 24 November the community will have an opportunity to hear the new work read by the writers. The Irish writers who will read at the event are Micheál Ó Conghaile, Máire Uí Dhufaigh as well two writers who attended the writing workshops, Mícheál Ó Ruairc and Áine Moynihan.

The award-winning sean-nós singer Caitlín Ní Chualáin will perform a mourning song composed by the Māori writers Charisma Rangipunga and Hana O’Regan, titled Caoineadh dár Sinsir (He apakuara ki kā tīpuna).

Brian Ó Conchubhair, associate professor in the University of Notre Dame will chair the event and questions will be welcomed from the audience.