Tongan curator pushes for more Pacific stories on bookshelves in NZ

This week, the Auckland Writers Festival | Waituhi o Tāmaki is turning Tāmaki Makaurau into a meeting point for over 220 of the world’s most brilliant minds, from New York Times bestsellers to Oscar-winning creators.

But for local storyteller Zech Soakai, the biggest story is what is still missing from the page.

Research suggests that although Pacific people make up 8.8 per cent of Aotearoa New Zealand’s population, they represent just 3.6 per cent of its published authors.

For Soakai, a guest curator for this year’s festival, these figures are a challenge, a call to action to move our kāinga (family) from the sidelines to centre stage.

“I know that that's not a reflection of the fact that our people aren't intelligent enough, aren't creative enough,” Soakai tells PMN Tonga.

“We make the best storytellers in the world.”

Watch Zech Soakai's full interview below.

The data reveals a wider issue: Pacific creativity is strong but it is still not being fully reflected in publishing and on bookshelves across the country.

With the average age of Pacific people being 23, Soakai is on a mission to guarantee the next generation can see themselves in stories being told.

Reclaiming space

To respond to that gap, Soakai has curated three major Pacific events for this year’s festival, designed to bring the “village” into the heart of Aotea Centre.

His goal is to ensure Pacific stories are not treated as “niche” but as an essential part of Aotearoa’s literary landscape.

“I thought it would be really cool to provide events that are by and for our community,” Soakai says. “To show the world just how excellent we are through our humility, our service, and our warmth."

The curated sessions include:

• Tusitala Tales: On Service & Survival: A free event featuring Leilani Tamu, Talia Stanley, and Logoitumua To’asavili Tuputala, and explores the balance between creativity, family, and cultural responsibility.

• Oceans Between Us: Pacific Peoples & Racism in Aotearoa: A conversation with Dr Seriana Naepi on navigating challenges as diasporic Pasifika.

• Dreaming for the Ocean In Us: Tangata Moana writers and Desire: A “goofy and whacky” session hosted by playwright Jonjon Tolovae, featuring Tusiata Avia, Amber Esau, and Danielle Kionasina Dilys Thomson.

The Pacific writers featuring at 2026 Auckland Writers Festival | Waituhi o Tāmaki. Photo/PMN Composite

Pacific voices across the festival

Beyond Soakai’s programme, Pacific writers are also featured across the wider festival line-up.

Of the 159 events across the week, 12 are dedicated Pacific sessions or highlight Pacific writers.

They include PMN’s Inangaro Vakaafi, Jason Tiatia, All Black’s performance coach Gilbert Enoka, Gabriella Brayne, poet Nafanua Purcell Kersel, Girmitiyas history by Shana Chandra, Krish Naidu, and Kiran Dass, and daring playwright Victor Rodger.

Soakai says the strength of this year’s programme shows Pacific storytelling is not on the sidelines, it is already here and growing.

The Auckland Writers Festival runs from 12-17 May at Aotea Centre. Tickets and programmes are available here.