Monday July 29, 2013
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Zoo safe after quake All is well at Wellington Zoo after the weekend’s 6.5 earthquake: the animals and staff are safe, and there is no structural damage to the Zoo to report. The Zoo was open on Monday as per usual. “Our community can enjoy
a relaxing stroll in the Zoo grounds, experience our new exhibits like Hero HQ and enjoy a warm break in Mojo café these school holidays,” said Chief Executive, Karen Fifield.
Writer and poet Yilma Tafere Tasew
Local poet celebrates fifth book launch By Nikki Papatsoumas A local poet and writer celebrated the launch of his fifth poetry collection last week. Writer and poet Yilma Tafere Tasew says he has been writing since he was a child, and launched his latest book Broken Wings at Wellington Town Hall last Thursday. Yilma is originally from Ethiopia, but fled the country in 1991 after getting fed up with the violation of human rights. He then survived out of refugee camps in Kenya, before eventually coming to New Zealand, where he has turned his experiences into poetry and writing. Yilma says he follows the writing style ‘wax and gold’ with the wax being the external meaning of the poetry and the gold being when you re-read it and try to understand the meaning. “This is the first time I have written this kind of poetry.” He says his poetry is interpreted differently by each and every person that reads it, based on their own life experiences. Yilma says when he is inspired he can write
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10 or 20 poems in just a few hours, but can sometimes go months without writing. “I’m not too worried, when it comes it comes and when it doesn’t it doesn’t that’s how it works.” Yilma has published a book based on his experiences in Kenya after he left Ethiopia, and now he is working on the second part which is based on his experiences in New Zealand. He says he also hopes to write a third volume that will be based on his childhood up until when he left Ethiopia. “If I achieve those things in my life that will be really great. For me writing is my life and I live for writing.” Publisher Roger Steel from Steel Roberts Aotearoa published the collection of poems. “Yilma doesn’t bother with literary devices, he cuts straight to the heart, and the pain and the agony of being a refugee in a no win situation.” “As publishers we are always on the side of the underdog, Yilma is a prolific writer and if he had it his way we would be putting out a book a month.”
NT TO WE WA !! HEAR IT
Phone Nikki papatsoumas on (04) 587 1660
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