Details

Longlisted for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry 2022, Toku Papa is a deeply moving and lyrical debut collection by Ruby Solly that explores whakapapa, belonging, memory, and survival for Maori growing up away from their papakainga.

Through intimate and emotionally resonant poems, Solly examines the knowledge carried through generations — the wisdom hidden beneath our tongues, the presence of tupuna within us, and the complexities of love, grief, and connection within whanau. Moving between light and darkness, the collection reflects on what it means to carry home within ourselves, even when distance, loss, or time make belonging feel uncertain.

Rich with imagery, wairua, and tenderness, these poems stretch backward toward ancestors and forward toward future generations. Solly’s writing blends personal reflection with cultural memory, creating a work that is both deeply personal and profoundly collective.

A writer, musician, and taonga puoro practitioner, Ruby Solly brings a unique sensitivity and musicality to her work, crafting poetry that feels both grounded and transcendent.

Key Features:
• Longlisted for the Mary and Peter Biggs Award for Poetry 2022
• Explores whakapapa, identity, whanau, and belonging
• Reflects on Maori experiences of displacement and reconnection
• Lyrical, emotionally rich contemporary poetry
• Written by acclaimed writer and taonga puoro practitioner Ruby Solly

Product Details:
• Author: Ruby Solly
• Format: Soft Cover
• ISBN: 9781776564125

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