Te Moana O Reo / Ocean of Languages

This book is a fascinating concept, the creative brain child of two of my friends, Vaughan Rapatahana and Michelle Elvy, and published by The Cuba Press. Their awareness that today writing in Aotearoa/NZ embraced writers from a host of languages and cultures led to the decision to publish a collection showcasing as many of these languages as possible. The result: 94 stories (flash / micro) and a dozen or so essays, the stories presented in both English and the writer's own language and alphabet. When Michelle asked if I might contribute, I demurred as I, like too many New Zealanders, am largely monolingual. However, I am interested in language and in translation so that when Michelle suggested I write something that was about language, I agreed as I had long been intrigued by the fact that Lydia Pasternak translated her brother's Russian poems in fully metrical, formal rhyming versions. Hence, my piece Translating My Brother, which Michelle was happy to accept. She also drafted in a Russian speaker to add some appropriate Russian vocabulary in places. I hasten to add, I speak no Russian.