Burns' work in Maori to feature

Prof Liam McIlvanney, the Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies at the University of Otago, at the...
Prof Liam McIlvanney, the Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies at the University of Otago, at the Robbie Burns statue in the Octagon. Photo by Christine O'Connor.

A translation of some of Robert Burns' poems into Maori will feature in the annual St Andrew's Day lecture.

Prof Liam McIlvanney, the Stuart Chair in Scottish Studies at the University of Otago, said some Maori translations of Burns' work would be read at the free public lecture on Monday.

The work was translated by Maori language authority and activist Reweti Kohere.

Prof McIlvanney was unsure what poems would be recited but was looking forward to hearing them.

''I'll be very intrigued to find out what it precisely is about Burns' poetry that speaks to the Maori experience.''

There were ''obvious points of comparison'' between Burns' work and Kohere - an activist who fought for Maori land rights and a critic of racism in the Anglican Church, Prof McIlvanney said.

Prof McIlvanney was interested to discover if Kohere had made ''straight translations'' or if he had drawn on aspects of New Zealand culture to write ''recreations'' of Burns' work.

The lecture, ''Reweti Kohere and Ropata Purana: Reading Robert Burns in Te Reo Maori'', was organised by the Centre for Irish and Scottish Studies and Dunedin Public Libraries.

Victoria University School of English, Film, Theatre and Media Studies senior lecturer Dr Nikki Hessell and Waikato and Te Paatu descendant Tai Ahu will deliver the lecture in the Dunningham Suite at the Dunedin City Library at 12.15pm.

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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