Saufo'i Press

12/05/2024

Cheehoo! We had a little launch party for Manuali'i last week and it was the most beautiful launch. Rex read his poems and everyone got teary eyed, laughed lots and celebrated love, aiga, and connection.

Mālo lava to all who came, all who were there in spirit, and all who were chehoo-ing from afar. And a huge fa'afatei tele lava to Unity Books Wellington for being wonderful and generous hosts.

Get your copy of Manuali'i from an independent bookstore or from the Saufo'i Press website.

08/05/2024

Happy publication day to Rex Letoa Paget! Manuia Rex!

Rex's amazing poetry debut, Manuali'i, is out now! Grab your copy at a local bookstore or head over to the Saufo'i Press website to order one.

We're having a launch at Unity Books Wellington this evening 6pm, Weds 8 May. Afio mai!

08/05/2024

Happy publication day Rex!

Rex's debut poetry book Manuali'i is out today! We're so excited to launch this book tonight. Pop along to Unity Wellington at 6pm

30/04/2024

Just over a week until Rex Letoa Paget's amazing debut 'Manuali'i' is released. We're having a little launch event at Unity Books Wellington at 6pm, and you're invited. Come along, buy a book + get it signed, hear some beautiful poetry and celebrate the wonderful words of our Moana writers. Books are available for pre-sale at saufoipress.com

11/04/2024

Less than a month until we launch Rex Paget's poetry debut, Manuali'i.

I can't wait to share this journey of a book with you all - it's gorgeous, it's wistful, it's sad, it's romantic, it's fa'afa'atama, it's Aotearoa, it's Samoa - it's everything in between.

Pre-orders are available from the Saufo'i Press website saufoipress.com

29/03/2024

Saufo'i Press is waking from a grounding hibernation to let you all know that we have a new book coming out soon: introducing Manuali'i by Rex Letoa Paget!

Manuali'i - Bird of the Gods - is an anchor to ancestors and to self. These poems are reminders of who you come from and who you are; compasses to constant new becomings. Questions for timekeepers and connections to universal powers. Being guided by messengers of the sky.

This dreamy poetry debut by Rex (Samoan/Danish) dives into the heart of grief and loss and love; wraps a tongue around the soft grooves of Samoan words; and rides off into the distance on a Triumph Bonneville.

Released on May 8 2024. Pre-order your copy now from Saufo'i Press saufoipress.com

Cover artwork by the amazing Teina Tutaki.

06/11/2023

Simone Kaho, author of HEAL!, is having a hearty convo with Arihia Latham at this year's Litcrawl in Pōneke/Wellington.

This event celebrates and honours poems of survival.

Please come along, it's gonna be a beautiful event.

CW: This will be a discussion that touches on themes in the book including abuse, violence and trauma.

More info here: https://www.verbwellington.nz/litcrawl-2023-events/heal

03/08/2023

Liz Breslin has written a deeply personal, nuanced review of Simone Kaho's HEAL!, now up on Landfall Review online. Check it out (and her other brilliant responses to some other amazing Aotearoa poetry books).

CW: The review, and HEAL!, both deal with themes of sexual abuse and trauma.

https://landfallreview.com/the-way-i-feel-about-you/

20/07/2023

20/07/2023

Check out this stunning, beautiful, deep, gorgeous and glorious review by Paula Green, of Audrey Brown-Pereira's book 'a-wake-(e)nd'. It's such a joy. Meitaka ma'ata Paula

19/07/2023

Our Audrey on Radio Cook Islands - The Voice of the Nation. So awesome to see Audrey’s pukapuka rippling through the Pacific.

24/06/2023

Talofa! Read a new piece 'Audrey Brown-Pereira wants to celebrate Pacific women' by Sela Jane Hopgood on Audrey Brown-Pereira and her pukapuka 'a-wake-(e)nd' for The Spinoff.

The piece further delves into Audrey's upbringing in South Auckland and how Audrey is encouraging Pacific women to embrace and reconnect with their bodies.

Read more in the post below!

https://thespinoff.co.nz/books/23-06-2023/audrey-brown-pereira-wants-to-celebrate-pacific-women

22/06/2023

Kia orana! Just checking if you've got your copy of Audrey Brown-Pereira 's 'a-wake-(e)nd' yet? Audrey's got hers and look how beautiful it is! 🥰

Buy now on the Saufo'i Press website or at your local indie bookseller. https://www.saufoipress.com/books/p/a-wake-end-by-audrey-brown-pereira

08/06/2023

Special Friday treat! Hear three new poems from Audrey Brown-Pereira's 'a-wake-(e)nd' on the NZ Poetry Shelf website. Beautifully recited by the poet herself, the audio poems are an audible delight. 🌸

Thank you to Paula Green for featuring these moving audio works!

Photo credit: Jordan Kwan ‘a-wake-(e)nd’ ‘who are you, where you come from, where you been your ( )hole life?’ ‘Wounded: they who become men’ Audrey Teuki Tetupu…

07/06/2023

Kia Orana ❤

Kendall Vano from Tagata Pasifika recently interviewed celebrated poet Audrey Brown-Pereira to talk about her new pukapuka 'a-wake-(e)nd'. Read the full piece below.

"The book of poems explores the dynamic Pacific region amidst its ever-changing landscape, reminding us of the importance of creating art even in tumultuous times."

Purchase your own copy of a-wake-(end) from saufoipress.com.

Meitaki!

Audrey Brown-Pereira, a celebrated poet from the Cook Islands, unveils her latest poetry collection titled "A-wake-(e)nd."

05/06/2023

NEW BOOK ALERT! Cook Islands-Samoan poet Audrey Brown-Pereira's book 'a-wake-(e)-nd' is out now 🌸

Audrey wrote 'a-wake-(e)nd' in her late-forties, turning a 'mid-life crisis into opportunity'. It is the renowned author's third collection.

You can buy this beautiful book from the Saufo'i website below or your nearest indie bookstore. Cover art by Serene Hodgman.

https://www.saufoipress.com/

23/05/2023

Happy launch day to Audrey Brown-Pereira. Her poetry book 'a-wake-(e)nd' is a blossoming and vibrant collection that tackles mid-life and womanhood, sensuality, climate change, politics, and life in the Pacific islands. Her words play with the page, and the air/ear.

You can get your copy from most indie bookstores, or purchase it from Saufoipresss.com

Meitaki ma'ata

18/05/2023

Audrey Brown-Pereira's third poetry collection 'a-wake-(e)nd' comes out in a week! Excited for you all to read this book. And I still can't stop staring at this mesmerising cover artwork by Serene Hodgman. The blooming, blossoming flowers feel like they speak to Audrey's poems so perfectly.

Pre-orders are still open at www.saufoipress.com or you can you get a copy at most indie bookstores from May 24 onwards.

Meitaki!

23/04/2023

Ayo! If writers festivals are your thing, we got a little treat for ya.

The brilliant Simone Kaho will be making an appearance in three events, reading poetry at Streetside (which will be a literal treat for your ears and soul), chatting about books with some other talented writers, and then joining me in a talanoa about Pacific poetry where you’ll get to hear her read from HEAL!

Swipe to see more on each event and head to link in bio to see the full programme.

Alofas x

18/04/2023

This is Audrey! If you haven't yet had the pleasure of reading her upu/words, you're in for a treat. Her words challenge form as she "plays with text on the page and words in the air/ear." They seem to dance across the page. They are like waves, and small island creatures, and slow, torrid evenings in the islands.

A-wake-(e)nd is Audrey's third book. She leans into difficult conversations, questioning (and relishing) the freedom found beyond caring what people think. Beyond being a 'good' Pacific woman.

It's been such a joy to work with Audrey so far. I'm excited and honoured to share her work with you all.

A-wake-(e)nd is available for pre-sale over at the Saufo'i Press website www.saufoipress.com

Released in late May.

Photo by Jordan Kwan.

10/04/2023

Kia orana loves.
Can't wait to share a-wake-(e)nd by Audrey Brown-Pereira with you all.
Reading this pukapuka feels like breathing salty air tinged with sweet pineapple; like overhearing a conversation between the sun and moon; like plunging into an ice bath in the early morning, then emerging to hear the sounds of nature, amplified. It feels like wearing red lipstick, warrior energy, flowers blooming.

Cover artwork is by the delightful and stupendously talented Serene Hodgman.

Pre-orders for a-wake-(e)nd are open now at the Saufo'i Press website www.saufoipress.com

Release date, late May 2023.

30/03/2023

Saufo'i Press is ecstatic to announce that our next book will be by the gorgeous Audrey Brown-Pereira. Her third poetry collection, A-wake-(e)nd, explores life beyond the confines of convention, where she playfully, artfully, writes through mid-life, the pandemic, and a Pacific facing climate crises. In true Audrey Brown-Pereira style, word move around the page, jumping from the paper, and straight into your heart.

Pre-orders are available now through the Saufo'i Press website Saufo'i Press is ecstatic to announce that our next book will be by the gorgeous Audrey Brown-Pereira. Her third poetry collection, A-wake-(e)nd, explores life beyond the confines of convention, where she playfully, artfully, writes through mid-life, the pandemic, and a Pacific facing climate crises. In true Audrey Brown-Pereira style, word move around the page, jumping from the paper, and straight into your heart.

Pre-orders are available now through the Saufo'i Press website https://www.saufoipress.com/

Book released in late May 2023.

Book released in late May 2023.

10/03/2023

Si'oto'ofa

Heal! Simone Kaho, Saufo’i Press, 2022 If you read the blurb, you will discover Simone Kaho’s new poetry collection, Heal!, comes with guidance: the poetry navigates sexual violence, as…

08/03/2023

CW: Sexual assault, trauma

It's International Women's Day, and I'm gonna share some personal thoughts about the very first book Saufo'i Press published, HEAL! by Simone Kaho.

It's an exacting examination of living with trauma after assault. It's raw, and troubling, and hard to grapple with at times. It's about trying to resume a life while your entire DNA is changing, and your insides are molten and fiery. About how you're treated like you've done something wrong by talking about assault. About a culture that perpetuates violence against women, but refuses to take accountability.

The form is as challenging as the content inside it. It refuses easy reading or categorisation. It grabs you from the beginning, but is a slow burner. You might have to read it several times to develop a sense of its cadence, it's cleverness, the depth of its darkness and absurdity of its humour. Part of me thinks that people aren't ready for a book like this. It's pushing convention, providing new ways of talking about trauma, as well as pushing the edges of what a poetry book is and can do.

I don't generally pay much attention to International Women's Day, cos I try to celebrate Pacific and Indigenous women every day through the work I do, but I just wanted to give a shout out to this book, cos it's so important, and I truly believe that it could be transformational for those who are going through the experience of trying to live, and heal, after experiencing sexual harm and violence.

Anyway, read Pacific writers! Support Indigenous, Pacific and Trans women. And give the women in your life some alofa/love today and everyday.

Faith