Taiohi Inside
Ngā kōrero / Information:
Taiohi Inside contains pieces of prose and poetry from 21 rangatahi who engaged with Te Kāhui Creative Writing Programme across 2020 and 2021 at Mt Eden Corrections Facility.
Tō mātou kaupapa / Our Purpose:
Te Kāhui is a creative writing programme that works in
collaboration with Youth Arts New Zealand to create safe and accessible wānanga for underserved rangatahi. The focus of the program is to create points for creativity and art to flourish, so that young people can better express themselves and thrive artistically. The program was first introduced to people in prison in 2020, during which the team worked exclusively with young people in prison to provide tools for self-expression using poetry and short-form writing.
Taiohi Inside brings forth pieces that differ in topic and form, guided in part by the prompts and exercises from Te Kāhui wānanga. The pieces, whether they are intended to make the reader laugh, smile, or ponder, are grounded by a commitment to speak the truth.
Tautokohia / Support Us
By purchasing a physical copy, you not only own a piece of mahi toi (the cover of which was created by Yaron Tana) but also contribute to a movement that believes in the transformative power of creativity. Every purchase directly supports the ongoing work of Youth Arts New Zealand, ensuring that more rangatahi have the opportunity to discover and harness their artistic potential.
We're offering a digital copy of the anthology using a pay-what-you-want model. Your generosity, no matter the amount, goes a long way in sustaining our mission to empower rangatahi through the arts and to initiatives that are in service to prisoners and their families.
Purchase a Physical Copy: Own a tangible piece of this transformative journey by ordering your physical copy for $30.
Get a Digital Copy: Embrace a pay-what-you-want approach for the digital version of the anthology.
On behalf of Youth Arts New Zealand and Te Kāhui we thank you for any contribution you make to this work including the one you can make by reading with an open heart.
Pānuitia me te ngākau tuwhera, koiā ko tētahi o ōu pūkenga,
ōu tākoha nei.
“This book is precious, a taonga. It expanded my heart and mind, even though I believed I already had a lot of empathy and passion about the injustice of prisons. Hearing some of these poems spoken live before reading definitely lifted my experience, but this is a beautiful collection in its own right and I know I will return to it. My favourite poem in here was ‘To my cat’.”
“I'm an established roofing contractor with a great team of couple special to me young fellas... thank you so much for this opportunity” and on attending and speaking at the launch, “[I loved showing] everyone what good can come if u set your heart and mind to it”
– A Contributor to the Anthology