Alistair Campbell (poet)
Encyclopedia
Alistair Te Ariki Campbell, ONZM
(born 25 June 1925; died 16 August 2009) was a New Zealand poet
, playwright
, and novelist. His father was a New Zealand Scot and his mother a Cook Island Maori from Penrhyn Island
.
and spent his childhood on Penrhyn island, the home of his mother, Teu Bosini. His father's name was Jock Campbell. In 1932, when Campbell was seven, his mother died from tuberculosis
. The following year, his father also died and he was sent with his two brothers to an orphanage
in Dunedin
, on New Zealand
's South Island.
He lived most of his life in New Zealand, mainly around the Wellington region, and for several decades in Pukerua Bay
, Porirua
.
Born Alistair Campbell, he later added 'Te Ariki' after going back to the Cook Islands
and discovering his grandfather had ties to chiefdom. In his grandfather's honour, Campbell added Te Ariki (the chief) to his name. He attended Otago Boys' High School
in Dunedin, and then studied at the University of Otago
and Victoria University of Wellington
. At University he became good friends with James K. Baxter
, another famous New Zealand poet. He became a member of the Wellington Group in 1950s. The group was just an affiliation of a number of writers who mostly shared a common opposition to Allen Curnow
's, another notable New Zealand writer, ideas and writings.
His first wife was poet, Fleur Adcock
, from whom he was later divorced. His second wife, Aline Margaret (Meg) Anderson, was also a poet.
Alistair had a total of 5 children, two with Fleur and the other three with Meg.
From 1976 to 1979, he was the President of the New Zealand branch of PEN-International
.
His poem, The Return, was set to electronic music by Douglas Lilburn
.
New Zealand Order of Merit
The New Zealand Order of Merit is an order established in 1996 "for those persons who in any field of endeavour, have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits."The order includes five...
(born 25 June 1925; died 16 August 2009) was a New Zealand poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, and novelist. His father was a New Zealand Scot and his mother a Cook Island Maori from Penrhyn Island
Penrhyn Island
Penrhyn is the most remote and largest atoll of the 15 Cook Islands in the south Pacific Ocean.-Geography:...
.
Biography
Campbell was born in RarotongaRarotonga
Rarotonga is the most populous island of the Cook Islands, with a population of 14,153 , out of the country's total population of 19,569.The Cook Islands' Parliament buildings and international airport are on Rarotonga...
and spent his childhood on Penrhyn island, the home of his mother, Teu Bosini. His father's name was Jock Campbell. In 1932, when Campbell was seven, his mother died from tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. The following year, his father also died and he was sent with his two brothers to an orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
in Dunedin
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, on New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's South Island.
He lived most of his life in New Zealand, mainly around the Wellington region, and for several decades in Pukerua Bay
Pukerua Bay
Pukerua Bay is a small seaside community at the southern end of the Kapiti Coast, New Zealand. In local government terms it is the northernmost suburb of Porirua City...
, Porirua
Porirua
Porirua is a city in the Wellington Region of New Zealand, immediately north of the city of Wellington, with their central business districts 20 km apart. A large proportion of the population commutes to Wellington, so it may be considered a satellite city. It almost completely surrounds...
.
Born Alistair Campbell, he later added 'Te Ariki' after going back to the Cook Islands
Cook Islands
The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...
and discovering his grandfather had ties to chiefdom. In his grandfather's honour, Campbell added Te Ariki (the chief) to his name. He attended Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School
Otago Boys' High School is one of New Zealand's oldest boys' secondary schools, located in Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand. It was founded on 3 August 1863 and moved to its present site in 1885. The main building was designed by Robert Lawson and is regarded as one of the finest Gothic revival...
in Dunedin, and then studied at the University of Otago
University of Otago
The University of Otago in Dunedin is New Zealand's oldest university with over 22,000 students enrolled during 2010.The university has New Zealand's highest average research quality and in New Zealand is second only to the University of Auckland in the number of A rated academic researchers it...
and Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
. At University he became good friends with James K. Baxter
James K. Baxter
James Keir Baxter was a poet, and is a celebrated figure in New Zealand society.-Biography:Baxter was born in Dunedin to Archibald Baxter and Millicent Brown and grew up near Brighton. He was named after James Keir Hardie, a founder of the British Labour Party. His father had been a conscientious...
, another famous New Zealand poet. He became a member of the Wellington Group in 1950s. The group was just an affiliation of a number of writers who mostly shared a common opposition to Allen Curnow
Allen Curnow
Thomas Allen Munro Curnow ONZ CBE was a New Zealand poet and journalist. Curnow was born in Timaru and educated at Christchurch Boys' High School, Canterbury University, and Auckland University...
's, another notable New Zealand writer, ideas and writings.
His first wife was poet, Fleur Adcock
Fleur Adcock
Kareen Fleur Adcock , CNZM, OBE is a poet and an editor of English and Northern Irish ancestry, who has lived much of her life in England.-Life and career:...
, from whom he was later divorced. His second wife, Aline Margaret (Meg) Anderson, was also a poet.
Alistair had a total of 5 children, two with Fleur and the other three with Meg.
From 1976 to 1979, he was the President of the New Zealand branch of PEN-International
PEN-International
The Postsecondary Education Network International, known as PEN-International, is an international partnership of colleges and universities serving the higher education of students with hearing impairment....
.
His poem, The Return, was set to electronic music by Douglas Lilburn
Douglas Lilburn
Douglas Gordon Lilburn ONZ FRCM was a New Zealand composer.-Early life:Lilburn was born in Wanganui. He attended Waitaki Boys' High School from 1930 to 1933, before moving to Christchurch to study journalism and music at Canterbury University College...
.
Poetry
- 1950: Mine Eyes Dazzle, Christchurch: Pegasus Press, including "The Return" and "Elegy"
- 1963: Sanctuary of Spirits
- 1964: Wild Honey, London: Oxford University Press
- 1967: Blue Rain: Poems, Wellington: Wai-te-ata Press
- 1972: Kapiti : Selected Poems 1947-71. Christchurch : Pegasus Press
- 1975: Dreams, Yellow Lions
- 1980: The Dark Lord of Savaiki: Collected Poems, Christchurch: Hazard Press
- 1981: Collected Poems, Hazard, ISBN 1-877393-00-2
- 1985: Soul Traps, Pukerua Bay: Te Kotare Press
- 1992: Stone Rain: The Polynesian Strain, Auckland: Hazard Press
- 1996: Pocket Collected Poems, Christchurch: Hazard Press
- 1999: Gallipoli & Other Poems, Wellington: Wai-te-ata Press
- 2001: Maori Battalion: a poetic sequence, Wellington: Wai-te-ata Press
- Poets in our youth: four letters in verse, being four letters in verse to John Mansfield Thomson, Harry Orsman, Pat WilsonPat WilsonPat Wilson is an Australian singer and journalist. Wilson wrote for Go-Set, a 1960s and 1970s pop music newspaper, under the pen-name "Mummy Cool" during 1971–1972. Wilson released several singles in the early 1980s including the hit single "Bop Girl"...
and James K. BaxterJames K. BaxterJames Keir Baxter was a poet, and is a celebrated figure in New Zealand society.-Biography:Baxter was born in Dunedin to Archibald Baxter and Millicent Brown and grew up near Brighton. He was named after James Keir Hardie, a founder of the British Labour Party. His father had been a conscientious...
; Wellington: Pemmican Press - Death and Tagua
- Pocket: Collected Poems
Other work
- 19611961 in literatureThe year 1961 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*First English production of Bertolt Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui*Michael Halliday publishes his seminal paper on the systemic functional grammar model....
: The Happy Summer, a novel for children - 19651965 in literatureThe year 1965 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Lloyd Alexander - The Black Cauldron*J. G. Ballard - The Drought*Ray Bradbury - The Vintage Bradbury*John Brunner...
: The Proprietor, Radio play - 19641964 in literatureThe year 1964 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Jean-Paul Sartre becomes head of the Organization to Defend Iranian Political Prisoners....
: The Homecoming, a radio play
- 19661966 in literatureThe year 1966 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*February 14 - Dissident writers Yuli Daniel and Andrei Sinyavsky are sentenced to hard labour for "anti-Soviet activity"....
: The Suicide, a radio play - 19701970 in literatureThe year 1970 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* Deliverance by American poet James Dickey published...
: When the Bough Breaks, a radio play - 19841984 in literatureThe year 1984 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*The book Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is widely read....
: Island to Island, memoir - 19891989 in literatureThe year 1989 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:* February 24 - Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini places a US$3 million bounty for the death of The Satanic Verses author Salman Rushdie.-Literature:...
: The Frigate Bird, novel, regional finalist for the Commonwealth Writers Prize - 19911991 in literatureThe year 1991 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Douglas Coupland publishes the novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, popularizing the term Generation X as the name of the generation....
: Sidewinder, novel, Auckland: Reed Books - 19931993 in literatureThe year 1993 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Professor Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Time, becomes the longest running book on the bestseller list of The Sunday Times....
: Tia, novel, Auckland: Reed Books - 19991999 in literatureThe year 1999 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*June 19 - Stephen King is hit by a Dodge van while taking a walk. He spends the next three weeks hospitalized...
: Fantasy With Witches, novel
External links
- Author entry from The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Literature
- Alistair Te Ariki Campbell and Maurice Gee pictured at the 2005 Going West literary festival, from LeafSalon
- Biography at the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre
See also Homonyms
- Alistair Campbell