Fa'afetai's poems in POLYNATION stretch the mind and the heart, with political crispness, gentle romantic musings, and, above all, deep connection to his family and his home.

Polynation is an exquisite book of poetry written and bound by Fa'afetai Ta'asē and discovered after his passing by his sister Rev, Alofa Ta'asē Lale, QSM. 

About the poet

Fa'afetai Ta‘asē was born on 8 July 1965, the son of Vaotupu and Levine Ta'asē. The family lived in Cannons Creek and was well known in Porirua, contributing to the community as teachers, church leaders and artists.

Fa‘afetai had cerebral palsy and spent his early years in and out of hospital. Porirua was his home, and he was educated there and in Wellington. Fa‘afetai started out as a performance poet in the 1980s. His work explores themes of identity, family, love, faith and politics with a New Zealand-born Pacific lens. He writes with a sharp eye and a warm heart.

Fa‘afetai died unexpectedly in October 2022. He was laid to rest with his parents at Whenua Tapu Cemetery just outside Porirua.

The story of this book

After Fa'afetai died, his sister Alofa found a bound collection of his poems. The collection was laid out like a book, and Alofa knew in that moment it was important to share his life’s work with others.

In publishing this collection, we honour a poet, a storyteller and a true son of Porirua.

Tai’s poems have been laid out in Times New Roman, his favourite font, and in the structures in which he wrote them.

Illustrator Sam Sakaria drew inspiration from Tai’s poems to create the imagery in the book. As well as through his artwork, Sam is woven into this book as one of Alofa’s former students and a member of their family’s church.

Manu Scripts Publication, May 2024