Daren Kamali

Daren (DK) Kamali is a Pacific poet, writer, musician, and teacher. Daren Kamali has emerged on the Pacific writing scene as a Fijian writer, placing Fiji at the heart of much of his creative work. His most recent publication is entitled, Tales, Poems, and Songs from the Underwater World(2011). He is currently finishing his bachelor's degree in Creative Writing at Manukau Institute of Technology in New Zealand. Kamali was the recipient of the 2012 Fulbright-Creative New Zealand Pacific Writers’ Residency, which he completed at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa in Honolulu, Hawai'i. He used the time to continue work on his second book, Squid Out of Water (Ala Press 2014). In 2013, Kamali launched the company Niu Navigations, with his partner Grace Taylor. The company promotes poetry in New Zealand. He is currently working on a poetic theater show called Vuni Maqo (Mango Tree), to debut in June 2013.

Daren Kamali is a Wallis & Futuna native, who was raised in Fiji and has lived in New Zealand since 1992. He holds ten years of experience as a Creative Arts Youth Mentor, and has been engaged with the creative arts for over fifteen years. In 2004, he served as the New Zealand delegate for the Festival of Pacific Arts in Palau, and again in Solomon Islands in 2012. He is the co-founder of the South Auckland Poets Collective (2008), in cooperation with his partner Grace Taylor.

Kamali’s debut album, Immigrant Story (2000), and EP album, Keep it Real (2005), share his personal experiences migrating to Aotearoa New Zealand from Fiji in 1992. Daren infuses his Fijian and Wallis and Futunan heritage with poetry and creative writing by including chants, songs, and oral traditions. Much of his work is inspired and influenced by his experiences and upbringing in Fiji and in Aotearoa/New Zealand. He has a tendency to work across genres and languages, creating a unique blend of beats and lyrics. As a native speaker of Fijian, Kamali works with metaphors, imagery, and rhythm of the Fijian, English, and Māori languages.

During his stay with the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa, Kamali was given the opportunity to research and write his new book Squid Out of Water (Ala Press 2014) as well as conduct youth workshops, give public performances, and collaborate with UH Mānoa’s growing network of Pacific writers. Fulbright New Zealand was established in 1948 to promote mutual understanding through educational and cultural exchanges between New Zealand and the United States of America. The Fulbright program offers a range of prestigious awards for New Zealand and American graduate students, academics, artists and professionals to study, research and teach in each other’s countries. The program is mainly funded by the US and New Zealand governments with additional funding from award sponsors, private philanthropists and alumni donors.

In 2014, he participated in the International Writing Program's Fall Residency at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA.

Established in 2012, Niu Navigations is dedicated to promoting Aotearoa and Pacific poetry. The goal is to provide opportunities and platforms for New Zealand and Pacific poets to develop artistically. Another goal is to educate and explore forms of expression and creativity such as spoken word, slam poetry, publishing, pacific poetry, and regional styles.

“We believe spoken word poetry is diverse in its origins and growth. We acknowledge the roots of spoken word poetry in Aotearoa with Hip Hop pioneers like Upper Hutt Posse, to the centuries old traditions or orators of our Pacific peoples. Performance poets that utilise theatre skills and the new wave of young spoken word poets that inspire younger audiences to engage in literature.”