Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa (PANZA)

"The fourth issue of the newsletter from Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa is available now for download as a pdf. http://poetryarchivenz.wordpress.com/2011/02/07/issue-four-of-poetry-notes-available-now/


Inside Summer 2011, volume 1, issue 4:
Tim Jones interviews Kerry Popplewell; classic New Zealand poetry by Marjory Nicholls; Poetry Archive depositor Harvey McQueen dies; eulogies for Harvey McQueen by Ian Wedde, Mark Pirie and Vincent O’Sullivan; comment by Fiona Kidman on Harvey McQueen’s These I Have Loved and Ron Riddell on a poetry gathering at Jerusalem on the Wanganui River; PANZA member reviewed in America; new publication by PANZA member: These I Have Loved: My Favourite New Zealand Poems: an anthology edited by Harvey McQueen; recently received donations; about the Poetry Archive.

About PANZA
PANZA is an original idea developed by Paekakariki poet/publisher/bookseller Michael O’Leary in 1999. Niel Wright has written an early history of the archive (see The Early History of the Poetry Archive of New Zealand Aotearoa, 2010 – the National Library in Wellington holds a copy).


PANZA’s collection has been in progress for the last ten years and a considerable archive has been collected in that time.

From 2006-2008 PANZA received public funding to assist the popular poetry series of “Winter Readings” at the City Gallery through the Wellington City Council and Creative NZ’s Creative Communities Scheme. It has now moved into setting up its archive in a more publicly accessible format.

Around 4,000 titles are in PANZA’s online catalogue. Depositors to the Archive include Niel Wright (Original Books), Mark Pirie (HeadworX Publishers), poet/anthologist Harvey McQueen, Helen Rickerby (Seraph Press), Alistair Paterson (Auckland, editor of Poetry NZ), poet John Ellis (New Plymouth), Roger Steele (Steele Roberts) and Michael O’Leary (Earl of Seacliff Art Workshop).

The Poetry Archive is situated in a brand new weatherproof garage in Northland, Wellington. It has a seating capacity of 12 people, and is suitable for use by small tutorial groups.

A reader’s table, paper, pencils, and comfortable reading chairs are provided for those wishing to read material during their visit to the Archive.

A ‘wall of fame’ surrounds the Archive’s collection of New Zealand poetry. Many well-known New Zealand poets such as Hone Tuwhare, Bill Manhire, Janet Frame, Katherine Mansfield, James K. Baxter, Glenn Colquhoun, Martyn Sanderson, Louis Johnson, Alistair and Meg Campbell, L E Scott, Ruth Gilbert, Alistair Paterson, Harry Ricketts and Richard Von Sturmer are represented on its walls. The wall will continue to be added to in the future.

A visitors’ book is also kept for visitors to sign.

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