BORN and raised in Fiji before moving to New Zealand at 17 years of age, Daren has always been passionate about the arts, especially poetry and music. He is one of Fiji’s gift to the art world. Of Wallis and Futuna and Fijian heritage, he places Fiji at the heart of much of his creative work. One of his publications include Tales, Poems, and Songs from the Underwater World (2011). He is also a co-founder of Niu Navigations, a company he formed with his partner Grace Taylor. The company promotes poetry in New Zealand. Passionate also about the environment he pleads with Fijans to be conscious of the pollution that occur around our beautiful islands.
Name: Daren Kamali
Age: 41
Lives in: Auckland/ NZ
Describe yourself: Wallis/Futuna/Scottish/Fijian — Pacific poet/teacher
Q What inspires you to be the person that you are?
A Uplifting people especially in our Pacific people and places (mother nature — the ocean, waterfalls, mountains, forests and beach) anything natural.
Q What would you describe as your passion in life and how are you going about realising it?
AMy passion apart from my family will definitely be telling stories — our stories — Pacific stories through the art of written and performance poetry.
Since arriving in Aotearoa/NZ in 1992, I have had an urging passion and ambition to tell my story which has now become our story and it has been a journey that started 20 years ago on street corners of Auckland.
Today I am blessed and honoured to be able to travel and tell our Pacific stories around the world with much support from people and organisations.
QWhat would you consider to be the most memorable in your career?
AAttending and participating at international writers/literary residencies and festivals are amazing to be part of. One particular highlight for me was being nominated by Creative NZ and University of Iowa, US to be part of the 2014 International Writers Program.
There were 29 other fellow international writers that enabled me to network hence getting to travel with my poetry to various conferences and shows in their countries or feature in their anthologies and magazines with translations.
* I am obsessed about ancient treasures especially the ones kept in museums.
* I can’t live without the sunshine, the rainfall, the sea or the trees.
* I am proud of my origins. To be born and raised in Fiji is very special. It is one of the best things that has happened for me.
* Wish I could change the many things that seem impossible in terms of climate change, pollution and violence but I plead, Viti please let’s maintain our most attractive beaches and keeping our vanua clean. It was such a sad sight to see debris on our beautiful beaches and foreshore.
* Really need to breathe, meditate, write, sing, dance, pray, exercise, swim, play and live.
* Can’t handle it when someone sings out of tune — children can get away with it not adults.
* I look back and see that everything was meant to be exactly how it has been and how it is now.
* I relax by watching a series of my favourite TV episodes or reading or writing or just sitting in the sun on a beach in Fiji.
* I am excited about the mysterious path ahead.
* Biggest weakness: easily distracted.
* List of favourite things:
Hanging with children/family/friends
Eating
Travelling
Meeting people
Swimming
Writing
Laughing
Singing
* Opinion on the state of the world: Sad.
* Mother always told me: Never give up.
* My relationship with my body:
Sacred.
