Picture this, 30 degree weather, performing poetry every night to fresh ears, and the sunburned shores of Australia. That’s what we, the Spoken Word group, Rehekōrero, experienced just earlier this month when we travelled over to Melbourne in Australia for the Trans-Tasman Poetry Slam against other high school poets.
We leapt across time zones like caffeinated kangaroos, and brought home the trophy to Aōtearoa! With Melbourne’s rich culture of art, we were inspired and in awe of this new place which held aspects of home. We ventured along Hosier Lane and saw graffiti of old and new, which echoed throughout the rest of the city.
On the second day, we went to the Melbourne Museum and saw the First Peoples exhibition. It taught us about the Aboriginal peoples of Australia and their culture, reminding us of the importance of representation for indigenous peoples. We battled it out on the stage of Melbourne University with the most talented Australian poets ever! It was such a heartfelt trip for Rehekōrero, seeing that this passion for speaking our truth can be a universal feeling all around the world.
We want to give a huge mihi to every person who supported our journey to make this trip possible. It means so much to us that you all care to help us share our stories and Māoritanga with the wider world. Ngā mihi nui rawa atu. And finally, thanks to our furry friend Kev the Kiwi and Action Education for aiding us on our journey. We love you guys and can’t wait to see where the future will take us and our truth.
Rehekōrero
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