New Zealand Writers

POTIKI, Brian

Widely experienced as a songwriter, scriptwriter and performer.

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POTIKI, Brian (1953 - ) is a poet and playwright.

Widely experienced as a scriptwriter, songwriter and performer, Potiki's poems have been published in numerous magazines and in a Hawaiian-based anthology.

Based in Rotorua, Brian Potiki has toured schools teaching drama and is a popular member of the Book Council's Writers in Schools programme.

He lives part of the year in Rotorua, and part of the year at Port Chalmers. Potiki continues to tour extensively, performing and running workshops, often as The Travelling Tuataras, with his partner, Jill Walker. He uses songs and dramas to bring alive stories from his own plays, as well as stories about Maui.

(KC.)

Updated Information

In 2002, Potiki completed a trilogy of history plays: A Mutiny Stripped, Boultbee and Hiroki's Song, set in the South Island.

He is currently writing a book about the play, Maranga Mai, a seminal work of Maori Theatre from 1980-81.

Aotearoa, a book of his collected poems and songs was published in October 2003.

Te Wai Pounamu, your music remembers me - 4 South Island history plays and their songs (Steele Roberts) is his latest publication, released in 2007.