Bilingual storytelling takes centre stage

An accomplished Auckland-based Niuean writer launches her second bilingual book, saying legacy and future generations drive the heart of her pen.

Zora Feilo, co-founder of Tupumaiaga A Niue Trust, released her second book, Tales of Niue Nukututaha Revisited, following her previous 2015 release, Tales of Nukututaha, which tells 12 stories set in Niue, written in Niuean and English, and based on her reinterpretations of myth, legend, and storytelling.

Her sequel, released under Utuko Press, adds new narratives to the previous, which features “the people of Niue, the land, the sky, the sea and Nukututaha, the island that stands alone”.

Speaking to Inangaro Vakaafi on Island Time, Feilo emphasises the significance of bilingual storytelling, explaining that she wants to preserve the Niue language by pairing it with English.

“I always knew that somehow our book would be bilingual in terms of Niue preservation of the language,” Feilo says.

“I knew there was [a bilingual Niuean-English book] from years ago from Niue that was published, but I didn't know of anyone writing anything like I would.”

Feilo says she turned to the late Utagaloa (Tutose) Tuhipa to help strengthen her Vagahau Niue (Niuean language), where although Felio had six translators for her first book, it was Tuhipa whose proofreading was instrumental to the books.

“Rest in peace, Tutose. She was a great, wonderful helper - helping me with my Vagahau Niue (Niuean language). She translated them, proofread them, and she was just the main person [for] both books.”

Watch Zora Feilo’s full interview below.

Origins and legacy

Feilo also highlights the freedom of self-publishing under Utuko Press, which is named after her father’s home in Alofi, Niue.

She says when she thought of names for her publishing company she thought of her father, who passed away 11 years ago and remains “at the forefront of my memories”.

“I still think about him so I ended up choosing Utoko Press because Utoko is in Alofi. It's a living, breathing place, it's where my ancestors come from.

“My dad would go down the hill to where my nana is buried, he'd clean it up, he'd lie there and talk to her.

“I remember these memories with my dad when we went back [to Niue] together. When you speak about legacy, that was the forefront too because this book is self-published. My children will be able to control the rights of that book.”

Tales of Niue Nukututaha Revisited book launch. Photo/Facebook

To aspiring writers: ‘Have faith’

To young aspiring Pacific writers and artists, Feilo encourages them to “just have faith”, reflecting on her own journey.

She says there was a time she was in between jobs while studying for her communications degree. Feilo then took a shot at the 2006 Spasifik Magazine writing competition, with her short story Fisi and Pua and Katuali the Seasnake.

She was one of five winners. She says she’s in awe knowing that two Pasifika women, judges Dr Selina Tusitala-Marsh and the late Dr Teresia Teaiwa, reviewed her “little short story” and saw something in it.

“Even Tutose Tuhipa encouraged me, she goes ‘if you finish one book, keep writing, just keep writing another book’ and that was her encouraging words of advice to me,” Feilo says.

“I'll keep doing that and people should just take that leap of faith and have courage to do their writing, to have faith in themselves.

“There's always going to be people who have opinions but sometimes you just have to have faith in yourself because you just don't know where the journey leads to.”

“Even if you just write a small book of poetry. I think people just need to not be afraid and just do what they can because my journey started when I put in that writing competition.”