Albert Tuaopepe Wendt (born 27 October 1939) is a Samoan poet and writer who lives in
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island coun ...
. He is one of the most influential writers in
Oceania
Oceania (, , ) is a geographical region that includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. Spanning the Eastern and Western hemispheres, Oceania is estimated to have a land area of and a population of around 44.5 million ...
. His notable works include ''Sons for the Return Home'', published in 1973 (adapted into a feature film in 1979), and ''Leaves of the Banyan Tree'', published in 1979. As an academic he has taught at universities in Samoa, Fiji, Hawaii and New Zealand, and from 1988 to 2008 was the professor of New Zealand literature at the
University of Auckland
, mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work
, established = 1883; years ago
, endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021)
, budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021)
, chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant
, vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
.
Wendt is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including twice receiving the
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
, multiple top awards at the
New Zealand Book Awards
The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder W ...
, the 2012
Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement
Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement is a New Zealand literary award established in 2003 by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand), the national arts development agency of the New Zealand government. Each ...
in Fiction and an
Icon Award from the
Arts Foundation of New Zealand
'The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Te Tumu Toi is a New Zealand arts organisation that supports artistic excellence and facilitates private philanthropy through raising funds for the arts and allocating it to New Zealand artists.
The concept ...
in 2018. In 2013 he was appointed a member of the
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in the New Zealand royal honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity". It was instituted by royal warrant on 6 F ...
, New Zealand's highest civilian honour, recognising his pivotal role in the formation of Pacific literature in English.
Early life
Wendt was born in
Apia
Apia () is the capital and largest city of Samoa, as well as the nation's only city. It is located on the central north coast of Upolu, Samoa's second-largest island. Apia falls within the political district (''itūmālō'') of Tuamasaga.
...
,
Western Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands ( Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands ( Manono and Apolima); ...
(now known as Samoa) in 1939, and lived in Samoa as a child.
He was one of nine children, and his father was a plumber.
He is of German heritage through his great-grandfather on his father's side, but in 2002 said he considered his family heritage to be "totally Samoan".
In 1952, Wendt received a scholarship to attend
New Plymouth Boys' High School
New Plymouth Boys' High School is a single-sex boys' state secondary school in New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand.
The school currently caters for approximately 1300 students, including 210 boarders, on its site.
The school often collaborate ...
in New Zealand. He graduated in 1957.
During his time at the school he had a couple of poems and a short story published in the school's annual magazine, ''The Taranakian''.
He completed a diploma of teaching at Ardmore Teachers' College in 1959, and subsequently attended
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand.
The university is well kn ...
, graduating with an Master of Arts in History in 1964.
His Master's thesis was about the
Mau, Samoa's independence movement from
colonialism
Colonialism is a practice or policy of control by one people or power over other people or areas, often by establishing colonies and generally with the aim of economic dominance. In the process of colonisation, colonisers may impose their reli ...
during the first decade of the 1900s.
He began to publish work in literary magazines, including the ''
New Zealand School Journal'', the ''
New Zealand Listener
The ''New Zealand Listener'' is a weekly New Zealand magazine that covers the political, cultural and literary life of New Zealand by featuring a variety of topics, including current events, politics, social issues, health, technology, arts, f ...
'', and
''Landfall'' while attending Victoria University.
In 1963, he received an award from ''Landfall'' for the best prose by a writer under the age of 25, for his short story "The Name of the Game". He has said that at the time he started writing, he was inspired by the examples of
Alistair Te Ariki Campbell
Alistair Te Ariki Campbell ONZM (25 June 1925 – 16 August 2009) was a poet, playwright, and novelist. Born in the Cook Islands, he was the son of a Cook Island Māori mother and a Pākehā father, who both died when he was young, leading to h ...
,
Jacquie Sturm and
Hone Tuwhare Honing is a kind of metalworking.
Hone may also refer to:
* Hone (name) (incl. Hōne), a list of people with the surname, given name or nickname
* Hõne language
Hõne is a Jukunoid language spoken in Gombe State and Taraba State, Nigeria
...
, who were then the only well-known Polynesian writers in New Zealand.
Literary career
Time in the Pacific Islands: 1965–1987
In 1965 Wendt returned to Samoa and became the headmaster of
Samoa College Samoa College is a secondary school in Samoa officially opened in 1953. It is co-educational and teaches from years 9 to 13. It is in Apia on the island of Upolu and is considered the main college in the country. The early college and curriculum was ...
.
He continued to send poems and short stories back to New Zealand for publication in magazines, and in 1972 he wrote two plays: ''Comes the Revolution'', performed at the South Pacific Arts Festival, and ''The Contract'', performed at the School's Drama Festival in Apia.
He began working on the epic novel ''Leaves of the Banyan Tree'' around this time, but due to its length, put it aside and finished the novel ''Sons for the Return Home'' first, which was published in 1973.
It described the experiences of a young Samoan man in New Zealand,
and in 1979 was adapted into a feature film directed by
Paul Maunder, which was the first film focusing on the experiences of Pacific people in New Zealand.
In 1974 Wendt was appointed a senior lecturer at the
University of the South Pacific
The University of the South Pacific (USP) is a public research university with locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. Established in 1968, the university is organised as an intergovernmental organisation and is owned by the go ...
, and worked both in
Suva
Suva () is the capital and largest city of Fiji. It is the home of the country's largest metropolitan area and serves as its major port. The city is located on the southeast coast of the island of Viti Levu, in Rewa Province, Central Div ...
and at its Samoan centre.
There, he published a number of articles in the literary journal ''Mana'' (including works examining the impact of colonialism on Pacific arts and culture) and edited collections of poems from Fiji, Samoa, the
New Hebrides
New Hebrides, officially the New Hebrides Condominium (french: link=no, Condominium des Nouvelles-Hébrides, "Condominium of the New Hebrides") and named after the Hebrides, Hebrides Scottish archipelago, was the colonial name for the isla ...
(now
Vanuatu
Vanuatu ( or ; ), officially the Republic of Vanuatu (french: link=no, République de Vanuatu; bi, Ripablik blong Vanuatu), is an island country located in the South Pacific Ocean. The archipelago, which is of volcanic origin, is east of ...
), and the
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is an island country consisting of six major islands and over 900 smaller islands in Oceania, to the east of Papua New Guinea and north-west of Vanuatu. It has a land area of , and a population of approx. 700,000. Its capit ...
.
In 1974 he published a collection of short stories, in the style of modern-day
fables, titled ''Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree''.
Two stories from the collection were adapted into a feature film of the same name directed by
Martyn Sanderson in 1989. His first poetry collection, ''Inside Us the Dead: Poems 1961 to 1974'', was published in 1976, and a novella, ''Pouliuli'' (translated as "darkness"), was published in 1977.
Wendt's epic family saga ''Leaves of the Banyan Tree'' (1979) won first place at the 1980
Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards
The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder W ...
.
In 1980 he was the editor of ''Lali'', an anthology of Pacific writing. From 1982 to 1987 he was the professor of Pacific literature at the University of the South Pacific,
and was also appointed to the position of pro-vice-chancellor.
Later career in New Zealand: 1988–present
In 1988 he was appointed as the first professor of New Zealand literature at the
University of Auckland
, mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work
, established = 1883; years ago
, endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021)
, budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021)
, chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant
, vice_chancellor = Dawn F ...
.
He was the first Pacific Islander to be appointed as an English professor at the university.
In his later career he edited important anthologies of Pacific writing including ''Nuanua'' (1995),
''Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English'' (2003) (with
Reina Whaitiri and
Robert Sullivan) and ''Mauri Ola: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English – Whetu Moana II'' (2010) (with Whaitiri and Sullivan). ''Whetu Moana'' was awarded the Montana Award for Reference and Anthology at the 2004
Montana New Zealand Book Awards
The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder W ...
, and was the first anthology of modern Polynesian poetry in English to have Polynesian editors.
Its successor ''Mauri Ora'' was a finalist in the Poetry category at the 2011
New Zealand Post Book Awards
The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are literary awards presented annually in New Zealand. The awards began in 1996 as the merger of two literary awards events: the New Zealand Book Awards, which ran from 1976 to 1995, and the Goodman Fielder W ...
.
Wendt's later works include poetry collections ''Shaman of Visions'' (1984) and ''Photographs'' (1995), and short story collection ''In The Birth and Death of the Miracle Man'' (1986), both of which feature works set in Samoa. The novel ''Ola'' (1991) features a female protagonist travelling around the world and themes of religious faith and identity,
and won the 1992
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
for the Asia-Pacific Region.
''Black Rainbow'' (1992) is described by Wendt as an "allegorical thriller", and featured a dystopian future New Zealand.
In 1994 he was appointed to the
Order of Merit of Samoa The Samoan Order of Merit is an order recognizing distinguished service in science, art, literature, or religion. Per the Honours and Awards Act 1999, admission into the organization is granted by the O le Ao o le Malo, presently Vaaletoa Sualauvi ...
for his services to education and literature.
In 1999, he was the visiting Professor of Asian and Pacific Studies at the
University of Hawaiʻi
The University of Hawaiʻi System, formally the University of Hawaiʻi and popularly known as UH, is a public college and university system that confers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees through three universities, seven com ...
. In 2000 he delivered the New Zealand Book Council lecture, titled ''Le Vaipe: the Dead Water''.
In the
2001 New Year Honours
The 2001 New Year Honours List is one of the annual New Year Honours, a part of the British honours system, where New Year's Day, 1 January, is marked in several Commonwealth countries by appointing new members of orders of chivalry and recipient ...
, he was appointed a
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for those ...
, for services to literature. He received the Senior Pacific Islands Artist's Award at the 2003
Arts Pasifika Awards
The Arts Pasifika Awards celebrate excellence in Pacific arts in New Zealand. The annual awards are administered by Creative New Zealand and are the only national awards for Pasifika artists across all artforms.
The Arts Pasifika Awards includ ...
,
and his first play ''The Songmaker's Chair'' premiered that year. In 2004 he was awarded the
Nikkei Asia Prize The Nikkei Asia Prize (Japanese: 日経アジア賞) is an award which recognizes the achievements of people and organizations that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia. The awards were created and presented by Nikkei Inc, one of the ...
for Culture.
In 2005, Victoria University made him an honorary
Doctor of Literature
Doctor of Letters (D.Litt., Litt.D., Latin: ' or ') is a terminal degree in the humanities that, depending on the country, is a higher doctorate after the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree or equivalent to a higher doctorate, such as the Docto ...
.
From 2004 to 2008 he held the position of Citizen's Chair at the University of Hawaiʻi.
He retired from his university professorship in 2008.
In 2009, his verse novel ''The Adventures of Vela'' was published, which he had begun writing in the 1970s; extracts had earlier been included in the collection ''Photographs'' (1995).
He won his second
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
in the Asia-Pacific Region for this work.
In the same year he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Hawaiʻi.
In 2012, he was presented with the
Prime Minister's Award for Literary Achievement
Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement is a New Zealand literary award established in 2003 by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand), the national arts development agency of the New Zealand government. Each ...
for Fiction, worth 60,000,
and that same year his
ʻaiga, ʻAiga Sa-Maualaivao, granted him their highest title of Maualaivao in a Samoan ceremony.
In the
2013 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed a member of the
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in the New Zealand royal honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity". It was instituted by royal warrant on 6 F ...
, New Zealand's highest civilian honour.
He became a patron of the
New Zealand Book Council
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura (formerly the New Zealand Book Council) is a not-for-profit organisation that presents a wide range of programmes to promote books and reading in New Zealand.
History
It was established in 1972 as a response to UNESCO's ...
in 2015.
Later that year, he published a memoir, ''Out of the Vaipe, the Deadwater'', about his early life in Apia, and a novel, ''Breaking Connections'', about a group of friends and their life in Auckland.
In 2018 he was recognised as one of New Zealand's greatest twenty living artists and presented with an
Icon Award by the
Arts Foundation of New Zealand
'The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Te Tumu Toi is a New Zealand arts organisation that supports artistic excellence and facilitates private philanthropy through raising funds for the arts and allocating it to New Zealand artists.
The concept ...
. Poetry by Wendt was included in ''UPU,'' a curation of Pacific Island writers' work which was first presented at the Silo Theatre as part of the Auckland Arts Festival in March 2020. ''UPU'' was remounted as part of the
Kia Mau Festival
The Kia Mau Festival, previously called Ahi Kaa Festival, is a biennial performing arts festival in Wellington, New Zealand. In te reo Māori, kia mau is "a call to stay - an invitation to join us".
The festival covers Māori, Pasifika and in ...
in Wellington in June 2021.
Legacy and influence
Throughout his career Wendt has been a leader in
postcolonial literature
Postcolonial literature is the literature by people from formerly colonized countries. It exists on all continents except Antarctica. Postcolonial literature often addresses the problems and consequences of the decolonization of a country, espe ...
.
His works have been published widely internationally and translated into French, Chinese, German, Dutch and Japanese.
The first notable study of his work was published in 2003, by
Paul Sherrad, titled ''Albert Wendt and Pacific Literature: Circling the Void''.
New Zealand scholar
Lydia Wevers
Lydia Joyce Wevers (19 March 1950 – 4 September 2021) was a New Zealand literary historian, literary critic, editor, and book reviewer. She was an academic at Victoria University of Wellington for many years, including acting as director of t ...
said that Wendt's works "have been instrumental in shaping a Pacific literature in English, especially in its evolution from oral to written form".
In addition to his own works, of which the most well-known is ''Sons for the Return Home'' (1973), Wendt has played a wider role in shaping the cultural life of Oceania; writers
Teresia Teaiwa and
Selina Tusitala Marsh noted, in an introduction to a special 2010 issue of ''
The Contemporary Pacific
''The Contemporary Pacific: A Journal of Island Affairs'' is an academic journal covering a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing comprehensive coverage of contemporary developments in the entire Pacific Islands region, including Mel ...
'' focussing on Wendt's legacy:
He is the subject of a documentary, ''The New Oceania'', made in New Zealand by Point of View Productions. Directed by
Shirley Horrocks
Shirley Yeta Horrocks (formerly Heim, née Spitz; born in Auckland) is a New Zealand documentary filmmaker, specialising in social and art topics. She was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to documentary filmma ...
, the film screened at the
New Zealand International Film Festival
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
and
Hawaii International Film Festival
The Hawai'i International Film Festival (HIFF) is an annual film festival held in the United States state of Hawaii.
HIFF has a focus on Asian-Pacific cinema, education, and the work of new and emerging filmmakers. HIFF’s primary festival is ...
in 2005, on
TVNZ
, type = Crown entity
, industry = Broadcast television
, num_locations = New Zealand
, location = Auckland, New Zealand
, area_served = Nationally (New Zealand) and some Pacific Island nations such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, and the ...
in 2006 and on
ABC Australia
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-owne ...
in 2007.
Personal life
As a young teacher, Wendt married Jenny Whyte, and they had two daughters and a son.
One of his daughters, Mele Wendt, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to governance in the
2019 New Year Honours
The 2019 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebratio ...
.
Wendt has been in a relationship with his partner, Reina Whaitiri, since his marriage ended in the early 1990s.
He is a cousin of actor
Nathaniel Lees
Nathaniel Lees is a New Zealand theatre actor and director and film actor of Samoan descent, best known for film roles in ''The Matrix Reloaded'', ''The Matrix Revolutions'' and '' The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers'' and for starring in ''You ...
, who directed and starred in Wendt's play ''The Songmaker's Chair'' at the 2003
Auckland Arts Festival
Formerly known as Auckland Festival, Auckland Arts Festival or is an annual arts and cultural festival held in Auckland, New Zealand. The Festival features works from New Zealand, the Pacific, Asia and beyond, including world premieres of new wor ...
.
His niece
Lani Wendt Young
Lani Wendt Young is a Samoan/Maori writer, editor, publisher and journalist. She is the author of 15 books including the bestselling Young Adult series TELESA.
Background
Wendt Young was born and raised in Apia, Samoa. Her father is Samoan from th ...
is also a writer.
Awards and honours
*1980 –
Wattie Book of the Year for ''Leaves of the Banyan Tree''
*1992 –
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
in the Asia-Pacific Region for ''Ola''
*1994 –
Order of Merit of Samoa The Samoan Order of Merit is an order recognizing distinguished service in science, art, literature, or religion. Per the Honours and Awards Act 1999, admission into the organization is granted by the O le Ao o le Malo, presently Vaaletoa Sualauvi ...
for services to education and literature
*2001 –
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order of merit in the New Zealand royal honours system. It was established by royal warrant (document), royal warrant on 30 May 1996 by Elizabeth II, Monarchy of New Zealand, Queen of New Zealand, "for those ...
for services to literature
*2003 – Senior Pacific Arts Award,
Arts Pasifika Awards
The Arts Pasifika Awards celebrate excellence in Pacific arts in New Zealand. The annual awards are administered by Creative New Zealand and are the only national awards for Pasifika artists across all artforms.
The Arts Pasifika Awards includ ...
*2004 –
Nikkei Asia Prize The Nikkei Asia Prize (Japanese: 日経アジア賞) is an award which recognizes the achievements of people and organizations that have improved the lives of people throughout Asia. The awards were created and presented by Nikkei Inc, one of the ...
for Culture
*2004 –
Montana Book Award for ''Whetu Moana''
*2010 –
Commonwealth Writers Prize
Commonwealth Foundation presented a number of prizes between 1987 and 2011. The main award was called the Commonwealth Writers' Prize and was composed of two prizes: the Best Book Prize (overall and regional) was awarded from 1987 to 2011; the Best ...
in the Asia-Pacific Region for ''The Adventures of Vela''
*2012 –
Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement
Prime Minister's Awards for Literary Achievement is a New Zealand literary award established in 2003 by the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa (Creative New Zealand), the national arts development agency of the New Zealand government. Each ...
in Fiction
*2013 –
Order of New Zealand
The Order of New Zealand is the highest honour in the New Zealand royal honours system, created "to recognise outstanding service to the Crown and people of New Zealand in a civil or military capacity". It was instituted by royal warrant on 6 F ...
*2018 – Icon Award from the
New Zealand Arts Foundation
'The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Te Tumu Toi is a New Zealand arts organisation that supports artistic excellence and facilitates private philanthropy through raising funds for the arts and allocating it to New Zealand artists.
The concept ...
Selected works
Novels, short story collections and memoirs
* ''Sons for the Return Home'' (1973)
* ''Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree: And Other Stories'', short story collection (1974)
* ''Pouliuli'' (1977)
* ''Leaves of the Banyan Tree'' (1979)
* ''The Birth and Death of the Miracle Man'', short story collection (1986)
* ''Ola'' (1991)
* ''Black Rainbow'' (1992)
* ''The Best of Albert Wendt's Short Stories'' (1999)
* ''The Mango's Kiss: a Novel'' (2003)
* ''The Adventures of Vela'' (2009)
* ''Ancestry'', short story collection (2012)
* ''Breaking Connections'' (2015)
* ''Out of the Vaipe, The Deadwater: A Writer's Early Life'', memoir (2015)
Poetry collections
* ''Inside Us the Dead. Poems 1961 to 1974'' (1976)
* ''Photographs'' (1995)
* ''Shaman of Visions'' (1984)
* ''The Book of the Black Star'' (2002)
* ''From Mānoa to a Ponsonby Garden'' (2012)
Plays
* ''Comes the Revolution'' (1972)
* ''The Contract'' (1972)
* ''The Songmaker's Chair'' (2004)
Anthologies and other edited works
* ''Lali: A Pacific Anthology'' (1980)
* ''100 Lovers of Taamaki Makaurau'', edited by Wendt and
Witi Ihimaera
Witi Tame Ihimaera-Smiler (; born 7 February 1944) is a New Zealand author. Raised in the small town of Waituhi, he decided to become a writer as a teenager after being convinced that Māori people were ignored or mischaracterised in litera ...
(1994)
* ''Nuanua: Pacific Writing in English since 1980'' (1995)
*
*
References
External links
Wendt's profilefrom
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura
Read NZ Te Pou Muramura (formerly the New Zealand Book Council) is a not-for-profit organisation that presents a wide range of programmes to promote books and reading in New Zealand.
History
It was established in 1972 as a response to UNESCO's ...
Wendt's profilefrom the Academy of New Zealand Literature
''The New Oceania'' film available on
YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
Wendt reading his poem "Inside Us The Dead" available on YouTube
"Stepping Stones" published in
''Poetry'', February 2018
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wendt, Albert
1939 births
Companions of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Living people
Members of the Order of New Zealand
Samoan novelists
Samoan historians
Samoan male poets
Samoan people of German descent
University of Auckland faculty
Victoria University of Wellington alumni
Samoan expatriates in New Zealand
20th-century Samoan poets
21st-century Samoan poets
20th-century male writers
21st-century male writers
Winners of the Nikkei Asia Prize
Members of the Order of Merit of Samoa