Fulbright New Zealand and Creative New Zealand have announced David Fane (pictured) as the recipient of the 2024 Pacific Writer’s Residency.
This award is for an established New Zealand writer of Pacific heritage to carry out work on a creative writing project exploring Pacific identity, culture or history at the University of Hawai’i, for three months.
David says he is excited to develop new relationships and learn from communities in Hawai’i.
“Fa’afetai tele lava, I am incredibly grateful to have been honoured as the recipient of the 2024 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writer’s Residency,” David says.
“I am greatly looking forward to spending time in Hawai’i and reconnecting with the many Hawai’ian creatives that I have had the pleasure to work with in the past – also to take up the opportunity to learn and to faafesuiai le malamalama [expand understanding], practice and skills with the communities there.”
Fulbright New Zealand Executive Director Penelope Borland says it is wonderful to have a writer of David’s calibre and experience take up the residency.
“We are thrilled to award this year’s residency to a writer, director, actor, and above all storyteller of David’s standing and repute,” Penelope says.
“David is familiar to most of us through his work in film and television—now we eagerly await the creative results of his residency in Hawai’i.”
During his time in Hawai’i, David will network with the local creative community through writing and workshops, undertake research within the Tagata Moana community in Hawai’i, and work on a new piece.
Creative New Zealand’s Senior Manager Pacific Arts Makerita Urale says the relationship with Hawai’i has been fruitful for many of Aotearoa New Zealand’s writers.
“Dave will love the precious time at the University of Hawai’i to write,” Makerita adds.
“Creative New Zealand has a long and enduring cultural relationship with Hawai’i with this wonderful strategic partnership with Fulbright and the US.
“This year is particularly special as Hawai’i hosts the 2024 Festival of Pacific Arts and brings all our many Pacific nations together,” says Makerita, who is also an alumnus of the residency, prior to joining Creative New Zealand.
Hawai’i has been identified as a strategic location for artists and is considered the hub of Pacific writing with numerous universities, library resources, networks, writers’ forums and publishers.
It is also an important link to the mainland United States and has a strong indigenous culture.
Previous recipients of the prestigious Pacific Writer’s Residency have been some of New Zealand’s most celebrated writers, including Tusiata Avia, Karlo Mila, Oscar Kightley, David Eggleton, filmmakers Sima Urale and Toa Fraser, and playwright Victor Rodger.