New Delhi: New Zealand born author Witi Ihimaera feels the real role of a writer is to become the conscience of the nation and that Indian writers have set a “fantastic example” by using literature to address issues concerning the mankind.
“To me, the most important role of a writer is to be the conscience of the nation and I am really moved that your writers are doing that. They are writing about climate change like Amitav Ghosh.
Ihimaera recently purchased a copy of Ghosh’s latest book on climate change, “The Great Derangement.”
“They are going into non-fiction and becoming leaders; articulating concerns on behalf of the Indian people. They are taking up the original role of the writer which is to stand beside the government and become their conscience. Arundhati Roy is another such writer,” he says.
Ihimaera became the first Maori writer to be published with his debut book “Tangi” that came out in 1973 and has since then penned 14 novels and 7 collections of short stories including “Yellow Brick Road”, “Pounamu” and “The Whale Rider” which was also adapted into a film of the same name.
According to the 72-year-old writer who has also worked as a diplomat at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs, literature must not be used only to draw attention towards issues of environmental collapse but also other concerns like gender discrimination, immigration etc.”
While Indian writers have already began the drill here, he says he is attempting to do the same in New Zealand.
“I am modelling my own attempt to become the conscience of my nation on the fantastic example of Indian writers. The conscience must not only be in terms of environmental collapse but also in terms of the relationship between men and women, immigration issues and other global issues.
“Your writers have always had a history of doing that, in not just non-fiction but also in what they say in their speeches. I am attempting to do that in New Zealand,” he says.
Among his efforts in this context is a new cookbook that he is curating with New Zealand based chef Robert Oliver. The book will advocate not just a healthy lifestyle but also draw attention to the burning issue of climate change.
“Climate change because people living in New Zealand have always thought of the Pacific as a food basket and so if we do not watch out we won’t have a source to eat from.
“To cook and eat healthy because otherwise we will be at risk of heart diseases and these are two things that continue to contribute to the death rate of the maoris in the region,” he says.
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:stuff.co.nz)
