“Whatever my original idea was for the book, it didn’t stand a chance against the spiritual thirst I had for kawakawa green to spill across my life and work, which was the desire to respond to the deaths and violence of Auē.” — Becky Manawatu on writing Kataraina.
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“It occurred to me as we drove around Westport that you might feel private about flood damage. We looked at the piles of rubbish, carpet, toys and clothing and we said we would hate to have strangers looking at our sodden mess.” — Becky Manawatu.
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“It was straight-up rude to be honest. That mishandling, misunderstanding, minimising of mana.” — Becky Manawatu, award-winning novelist, on being labelled “average” after one school test.
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“Adults submitted work to a group of adults. Everyone presumed they were there, not to have their genius confirmed to them, but to become better writers.” — Becky Manawatu.
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“When this pandemic started to inch closer around us here in New Zealand, we all began worrying for Che.” — Becky Manawatu, on losing her cousin Che Warren, “one of New Zealand’s most vulnerable”, during the lockdown.
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“In Italy, you kept house, and you kept it clean enough for the pope to visit any day of the week.” — Becky Manawatu.
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“I am a notorious chuck-20-buckers-in-the-van to get home sort of person.” — Becky Manawatu.
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“Back then, in 1992 or 1993, we didn’t know how much we might need to see these moments again. No one took a picture.” — Becky Manawatu.
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“In the memory, there is just my mum, standing on the verandah, smiling, waving. I was annoyed she wasn’t crying.” — Becky Manawatu on leaving home.
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