Me Rawa Ake | What's on
We are packing in the events between now and Christmas to keep you entertained with author talks, discussions, men's health, poetry, readings, workshops, cultural events and competitions. Who needs TV, when you've got us?
LITERARY EVENTS
Ten Perspectives: a National Poetry Day celebration
Otago-Southland branch of NZ Society of authors, in partnership with Dunedin Public Libraries invite you to celebrate poetry with us as 10 poets examine life from different perspectives. Guest MC Michelle Elvy.
With thanks to Creative Communities Dunedin for their support for this event.
Guest poets include:
- Charlotte Steel
- Rushi Vyas
- Kyra Gillles
- Kerry Lane
- James Norcliffe
- Fiona Farell
- Diane Brown
- John Newton
- Kay Cooke
- Michael Hall
The evening will also include the presentation of prizes for the senior categories of the 2020 Vision Poetry Competition.
Books will be available to purchase during the evening, courtesy of University Book Shop Otago.
Tickets $5, bookable in person at Dunedin Public Libraries
PRIOR BOOKING ESSENTIAL
Thursday 5th November, 6.30pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
Prizegiving: 2020 Vision Poetry Competition for Primary School aged Children
The announcement of the winning entries and presentation of prizes to the winners of the primary school aged category of the 2020 Vision Poetry Competition.
Each of the winners present will be invited to read their poems.
All welcome.
Light refreshments will be served
Thursday 5th November, 5pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
Author Talk: Merchant, Miner, Mandarin
Authors Jenny Sew Hoy Agnew and Trevor Agnew take us on a fascinating historical adventure as they build a picture of the illustrious career of a gentleman who would change the shape of commerce and industry in Otago and Southland.
In 1869, a businessman from China’s Guangdong Province first set foot on New Zealand soil at Port Chalmers at the invitation of the Otago Chamber of Commerce. Choie Sew Hoy set up a mercantile empire and invested his profits into numerous successful goldmining ventures, becoming one of Dunedin’s most prominent entrepreneurs.
Presented courtesy of Canterbury University Press and in partnership with University Bookshop Otago and the Dunedin Public Libraries Association. Books will be available to purchase.
Sunday 8th November, 2pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
Continued Sense of Wonder: War and Peace
Children’s books that consider the effects of conflict on the child – themes of displacement, adventure, and compassion.
Share a favourite or a new discovery, for this adult conversation about children’s books.
Wednesday 11th November, 7pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, City Library
Booking essential
For more information, contact: Jackie.mcmillan@dcc.govt.nz
FREE
Author Talk: The Air that We Breathe
Kara Douglas' book is an account of ordinary people living through the catastrophic consequences of one of Australia’s worst industrial disasters, inspired by her birth father’s story of living in Wittenoom, Western Australia.
For the past ten years Dunedin-born Kara has immersed herself in researching the history of Wittenoom, in the Outback region of Pilbara, and the far-reaching effects on the town of deadly contaminants from the nearby blue asbestos mine. Join us for a fascinating look at the consequences of a corporate mining operation that obliterated a town described as the "largest contaminated site in the Southern Hemisphere".
Click to book or call 03 474 3690 or email library@dcc.govt.nz
Copies of the book will be available for purchase at $30 (sorry, no EFTPOS) - $5 from the sale of each book will be donated to Mesothelioma research.
Saturday 28th November, 2pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
Author Talk: Shooting the breeze… a Landmarks Conversation
Grahame Sydney artist | Brian Turner poet | Owen Marsh writer
MC’d by UBS Otago’s Phillippa Duffy reader
Through their own marks about the land and its people, be it in ink or paint, Landmarks offers a love song to the South Island, in particular Central Otago, from Sydney, Marshall and Turner – three of New Zealand’s artistic heavyweights: artist, writer, and poet respectively. Twenty-five years ago they collaborated on Timeless Land, a hugely successful publication which cemented the beauty of Central Otago and its environs as a timeless, fragile, and beautiful land. Since then their enduring artistic lives, friendship and deep love of the landscapes they occupy have happily intertwined and coincided. Join us for an enjoyable and thoughtful conversation on their lives, works, and their artistic intersection with the land, each other and the environment.
MC’d by Phillippa Duffy of UBS Otago. With a BA (Hons) in English Literature from the University of Otago, Phillippa has a deep love of all things south of the Waitaki having lived almost her whole life in Southland, North and Central Otago, and now happily making Dunedin home for the past eight years.
Tickets: $5 - Booking essential via University Book Shop Otago
Friday 4 December, 5pm–7pm
Dunningham Suite | Dunedin Public Library | 4th Floor | Moray Place
Refreshments from 5pm for a 5.30pm start
Books for sale and signing | $74.99 | Eftpos & Cash
ARMISTICE DAY & COURAGE DAY
Commemorating the fallen, celebrating peace and culture, and highlighting the plight of persecuted writers around the world, a programme of peace events in Dunedin this November
GENERAL TALKS
LAW FOR FREE
Learn about key legal topics that everyone should know more about in this free series of presentations by Community Law Otago.
Sessions will be run on Wednesday evenings and Saturday mornings throughout November (if there is sufficient interest), and there is an opportunity to ask questions during the sessions.
REGISTRATIONS: click on your preferred topic(s) and date(s) below to book
Living Hub, Ground Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
Tenancy
Wednesday 4 November, 5.30pm AND Saturday 7 November, 11am
What are your rights and responsibilities as a tenant or landlord?
Employment
Wednesday 11 November, 5.30pm AND Saturday 14 November, 11am
Your rights as an employee and how to deal with issues in the workplace, redundancy and dismissal.
Consumer
Wednesday 18 November, 5.30pm AND Saturday 21 November, 11am
What are your rights when buying goods or services? How to deal with faults and how to protect yourself when buying.
Wills/Power of Attorney
Wednesday 25 November, 5.30pm AND Saturday 28 November, 11am
The importance of wills, how to create one and associated issues. An introduction to enduring power of attorney and how to appoint one.
Visions for Dunedin: Our Heritage, Our Future
In partnership with the Southern Heritage Trust, Dunedin Public Libraries is pleased to host a series of inspirational talks throughout the year, exploring visions of Dunedin’s past, present, and perhaps more importantly its future.
SPEAKER: Jonathan Howard, project advisor for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga. Jonathan uses historical photographs extensively in his work, researching the architectural history of buildings and structures and charting the development and mechanisms for change in New Zealand urban centres.
On arrival in early 1860, William Meluish immediately set about photographing what was then, the year before the discovery of gold in the province, a “quiet dingy little town”. He took subsequent views and panoramas from the same or similar vantage points and consciously recorded the town’s remarkable transformation into a city.
This talk looks at Meluish’s life in Dunedin and how his photography shaped contemporary impressions of Dunedin.
Tuesday 17 November, 6pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
The Cancer Detectives: Using the Power of a Dog’s Nose to Save Lives
Dogs can scent a tiny concentration of odour the equivalent of 1 teaspoon of sugar in a body of water the size of two Olympic swimming pools. They can also sniff out the barest evidence of cancer in a human with more than 90% accuracy.
Join Pauline Blomfield of Mosgiel-based K9 Medical Detection as she discusses the incredible work her organisation is doing to train dogs to detect early stage cancer with the potential to save thousands of lives using simple, non-invasive tests. Pauline will be joined by a men's health specialist and a cancer survivor, who discuss the positive impact of early stage detection of bowel cancer.
Booking Essential: 03 474 3690, library@dcc.govt.nz, www.dunedinlibraries.govt.nz/events/whats-on
Light refreshments provided
Proudly supporting Movember – men’s health awareness
Thursday 19th November, 6pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
How Art! Poetry and the Mind
Presented by Alzheimer’s Otago in partnership with Dunedin Public Libraries, join us for an evening of poetry and discussion on the subject of Dementia.
Professor Yoram Barak, Associate Professor of Psychogeriatrics at the Dunedin School of Medicine, and poet Sue Wootton explore the power of poetry on improving outcomes for dementia sufferers and their families. The evening will include readings from poet Des O’Brien’s collection “How Art”: a set of poems that reflect on, and wrestle with, the day-to-day realities of Alzheimer’s which Des is learning to live with*.
Copies of the book will be available to purchase, with proceeds going to Alzheimer’s Society Otago.
BOOKING ESSENTIAL or 03 474 3690 or library@dcc.govt.nz
“I am still me”: Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a group of symptoms that change and damage the brain. The most common symptoms include changes in memory, thinking, behaviour, personality and emotion. Alzheimers Otago strive to support people with dementia to continue to live at home and actively engage with their community for as long as possible.
Thursday 10th December, 5.30pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
*With grateful thanks to the MacTodd Trust and the O’Brien family
For Teens and Kids
He Whakahou Roko Rakatahi Youth Peace Symposium
Join us for Dunedin’s inaugural Youth Peace Symposium as young people from around the City share their hopes for peace in troubled times.
The last few years have been particularly challenging for our children and young adults, and the Symposium aims to give them a platform to air their concerns and a voice to share their hopes for the world.
The Symposium will include an exhibition of artworks and speeches presented by Dunedin school students, as well as live musical performances and light refreshments.
All are warmly invited to attend.
Presented in partnership with the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Otago, SGI Buddhist Association and Dunedin Public Libraries
Sunday 15th November, 2pm
Dunningham Suite, 4th Floor, Dunedin City Library
FREE
TWISTY PLOTS YOUNG WRITERS DROP-IN WORKSHOPS
Inspiration from award-winning novelist, playwright and script writer Ella West.
One-on-one help and advice for primary and secondary school pupils, or just sit and write in the company of a published children’s author – Ella will be busy working on her next novel!
Last sessions of the year: 10th November and 8th December 2020. But we are happy to announce Ella will be back in January to restart the workshops for 2021!
3.30pm – 4.30pm
Teen Space, 2nd Floor, City Library
FREE
Once Upon a Sunday
Celebrate Kindness Day with us. Bring your little ones along for some stories all about compassion.
Join professional storyteller Kaitrin McMullan as she spins some magical tales bound to delight children of all ages.
Sunday 1st November, 2pm
Children’s Storypit, Ground Floor, City Library
FREE
Once Upon a Sunday 2020 finishes with a bang! Bring your little ones along for some Christmas-themed stories to get them excited about Father Christmas’ visit to Dunedin.
Join professional storyteller Kaitrin McMullan as she spins some magical tales bound to delight children of all ages.
Sunday 6th December, 2pm
Children’s Storypit, Ground Floor, City Library
FREE
Kids Craft Club
Craft, fun and games for primary/intermediate age kids.FREE and all materials supplied.
- 2 November - Sugar Skulls
- 16 November - Piggy Bank
- 30 November - Bird Masks
- 14 December - Christmas Crackers
Every 2nd Monday, 4pm
2nd Floor, City Library
COMPETITIONS
Our current competitions close on 30th November, so get your entries in!