Albert Wendt
Encyclopedia
Albert Wendt, CNZM
(born 1939) is a Samoa
n poet and writer who also lives in New Zealand
. Among his works is Leaves of the Banyan Tree (1979).
. Wendt is of German heritage through his great-grandfather from his patrilineal ancestry, which he reflected it in some of his poetry works. He studied at Ardmore Teacher's College and at the Victoria University of Wellington
, graduating with an M.A. in History. His Masters' thesis was about the Mau
, Samoa's independence movement from colonialism
during the early 1900s
. His thesis was titled Guardians and Wards: A study of the origins, causes and the first two years of the Mau in Western Samoa.
He returned in 1965 to Western Samoa, becoming principal of Samoa College
. In 1974 he moved to Fiji
, where he taught at the University of the South Pacific
.
In 1977 Wendt returned home to set up the University of the South Pacific Center in Samoa. He worked closely with the literary journal Mana, and edited in 1975 collections of poems from Fiji
, Western Samoa, the New Hebrides
(now Vanuatu
), and the Solomon Islands
.
Wendt's epic Leaves of the Banyan Tree (1979) won the 1980 New Zealand Book Awards. He was appointed to the first chair in Pacific literature at the University of the South Pacific in Suva
. In 1988 he took up a professorship of Pacific studies at the University of Auckland. In 1999 Wendt was visiting Professor of Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Hawaii
. In 2001 he was made Companion of the Order of New Zealand
for his services to literature.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 1939) is a Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
n poet and writer who also lives in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. Among his works is Leaves of the Banyan Tree (1979).
Biography
Albert Wendt was born in Apia, SamoaSamoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
. Wendt is of German heritage through his great-grandfather from his patrilineal ancestry, which he reflected it in some of his poetry works. He studied at Ardmore Teacher's College and at the Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, graduating with an M.A. in History. His Masters' thesis was about the Mau
Mau movement
The Mau was a non-violent movement for Samoan independence from colonial rule during the early 1900s. The word 'Mau' means 'opinion' or 'testimony' denoting 'firm strength' in Samoan...
, Samoa's independence movement from colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
during the early 1900s
1900s
The decade from January 1, 1900 to December 31, 1909 is sometimes referred to as the 1900s, "the nineteen hundreds", although this term can equally be used for the years 1900–1999...
. His thesis was titled Guardians and Wards: A study of the origins, causes and the first two years of the Mau in Western Samoa.
He returned in 1965 to Western Samoa, becoming principal of Samoa College
Samoa College
Samoa College is a secondary school in Samoa officially opened in 1953. The college is co-educational and teaches from Year 9 - 13. It is situated in Vaivase on the island of Upolu and is considered the main college in the country...
. In 1974 he moved to Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, where he taught at the University of the South Pacific
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...
.
In 1977 Wendt returned home to set up the University of the South Pacific Center in Samoa. He worked closely with the literary journal Mana, and edited in 1975 collections of poems from Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
, Western Samoa, the New Hebrides
New Hebrides
New Hebrides was the colonial name for an island group in the South Pacific that now forms the nation of Vanuatu. The New Hebrides were colonized by both the British and French in the 18th century shortly after Captain James Cook visited the islands...
(now Vanuatu
Vanuatu
Vanuatu , officially the Republic of Vanuatu , is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is some east of northern Australia, northeast of New Caledonia, west of Fiji, and southeast of the Solomon Islands, near New Guinea.Vanuatu was...
), and the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
.
Wendt's epic Leaves of the Banyan Tree (1979) won the 1980 New Zealand Book Awards. He was appointed to the first chair in Pacific literature at the University of the South Pacific in Suva
Suva
Suva features a tropical rainforest climate under the Koppen climate classification. The city sees a copious amount of precipitation during the course of the year. Suva averages 3,000 mm of precipitation annually with its driest month, July averaging 125 mm of rain per year. In fact,...
. In 1988 he took up a professorship of Pacific studies at the University of Auckland. In 1999 Wendt was visiting Professor of Asian and Pacific Studies at the University of Hawaii
University of Hawaii
The University of Hawaii System, formally the University of Hawaii and popularly known as UH, is a public, co-educational college and university system that confers associate, bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees through three university campuses, seven community college campuses, an employment...
. In 2001 he was made Companion of the Order of New Zealand
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in New Zealand's honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity"...
for his services to literature.
Documentary
Wendt is the subject of a documentary The New Oceania made in New Zealand, by Point of View Productions. Directed by Shirley Horrocks, the film screened at the New Zealand International Film Festival and Hawaii International Film Festival in 2005, TVNZ 2006 and ABC Australia in 2007.Works
- Comes the revolution, (1972)
- The contract, (1972)
- Sons for the Return Home, (1973) ISBN 0-582-71718-3, ISBN 0-8248-1796-6 - also made into feature film
- Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree: And Other Stories, (1974) ISBN 0-582-71733-7, ISBN 0-582-71734-5 (pbk.) - also made into feature film
- Pouliuli, 1977 ISBN 0-582-71754-X, ISBN 0-8248-0728-6
- Inside us the Dead. Poems 1961 to 1974, (1976) ISBN 0-582-71750-7
- Leaves of the Banyan Tree, (1979) ISBN 0-582-71770-1, ISBN 0-385-17858-1
- Lali: A Pacific Anthology, (1980) (edited) ISBN 0-582-71772-8
- Shaman of Visions, (1984)
- The Birth and Death of the Miracle Man, (1986) ISBN 0-670-80676-5
- Ola, (1991) ISBN 0-14-015763-8, ISBN 0-8248-1585-8
- Black Rainbow, (1992) ISBN 0-14-016693-9, ISBN 0-8248-1586-6
- Nuanua: Pacific Writing in English since 1980, (1995) (edited) ISBN 0-8248-1731-1
- Photographs, (1995) ISBN 1-86940-122-0
- The Best of Albert Wendt's Short Stories, (1999) ISBN 1-86941-392-X
- The Book of the Black Star, (2002) ISBN 1-86940-283-9
- Whetu Moana: A Collection of Pacific Poems, (2002) (edited) ISBN 0-8248-2756-2
- The Mango's Kiss: a Novel, (2003) ISBN 1-86941-580-9
- The Songmaker’s Chair, (2004) ISBN 1-86969-031-1
External links
- Inside us the Dead Poem sequence