Ben Brown (Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Koroki, Ngāti Paoa) is an award winning children’s author, a nonfiction writer, a poet and performer. He was appointed inaugural Children’s Reading Ambassador for New Zealand, Te Awhi Rito in May 2021.
ReadNZ: Author Ben Brown is New Zealand’s first Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador
Join Waimakariri Libraries workshop tutor Jason Clements (AKA Doc Drumheller), who has grown out his beard and trademark long hair, in preparation to Chop the Mop at this fundraising event for the Cancer Society, with special guest poets.
Curated by Daisy Speaks, Confluence celebrates Māori and Pasifika creative connections with the musical brilliance of the Judah Band and The Byllie Jean Project alongside words from Ben Brown, Juanita Hepi, Dietrich Soakai and Tusiata Avia.
Ben Brown is the inaugural Te Awhi Rito Reading Ambassador, travelling the nation to nurture young readers. But how do you combine oral storytelling traditions and reading? Ben draws on kā awhi rito, the mature leaves which support the young shoot of a harakeke plant, and his life as a poet and educator, to talk about building children’s imagination and confidence through storytelling in all its forms.
While COVID venue restrictions mean we can't actually hold the New Regent Street pop-up festival on New Regent Street, we can bring you the same lineup of back-to-back readings, games interactive poetry, talks and more in a single sweet venue: Foundation at Tūranga. Full programme online soon. It'll be a buzz: see you there!
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