In the late 1990’s the New Zealand Society of Authors became conscious of the need to record its history, and untraversed aspects of New Zealand literary history, while an older generation of writers were still alive and available for interview. A $1,500 grant from Otago Community Trust is helping to capture and record a number of Otago authors stories as a taonga for New Zealand.

Past interviews with Otago authors, such as Ruth Dallas, have provided a fascinating look at living as a writer in the Otago region, how the creative community in Otago has grown or changed and how the landscape and history of the region influence their writing.

The oral history interviews include the broader context of the authors own life and history (i.e. where they were born, their education, and their family life) as well as their work as a writer and their volunteer work with NZSA.

The three authors the New Zealand Society of Authors are currently recording are:

1. Barbara Else
2. Kyle Mewburn
3. Brian Turner

The interviews will be a valuable resource for students, teachers, writers, academics and historians wishing to discover more about the history of New Zealand literature in the Otago region. 

Once recorded NZSA will communicate with local Otago radio stations, museums and schools to make the material easily and widely accessible to the local community.

This is the fourth season of the NZSA Oral History Podcasts, using interviews with New Zealand writers that NZSA began recording in the 1990’s. 

You can listen to all past episodes from different writers, some of whom are no longer with us, on the New Zealand Society of Authors website.

NZSA Oral History Podcast Series, S4 E4: Barbara Else, Part 1

https://soundcloud.com/nz-society-of-authors/barbara-else-part-1 

NZSA Oral History Podcast Series, S4 E1: Kyle Mewburn, Part 1

https://soundcloud.com/nz-society-of-authors/kyle-mewburn-part-1

NZSA Oral History Podcast Series, S4 E2: Kyle Mewburn, Part 2

https://soundcloud.com/nz-society-of-authors/kyle-mewburn-part-2