Music Industry News

International literary super stars, Lars Mytting from Norway, John Connell from Ireland, and Romesh Dissanayake from Australia headline the list of stellar writers, presenters and provocateurs at Featherston Booktown’s 10th Karukatea Festival over the weekend of 9-11 May.

Peter Biggs, Chair of Featherston Booktown, says: “This year’s 10th Karukatea Festival will be one to remember as it features our first ever international writers – Lars Mytting, John Connell and romesh dissanayake, along with what booklovers have come to expect: bold and innovative programming across 44 events; 87 of Aotearoa New Zealand’s top presenters, writers and provocateurs; multiple booksellers; absorbing panel conversations about nation-shaping topics; fascinating sessions exploring the craft of the books; and a not-to-be-missed gala evening featuring the writing and storytelling stars who have featured at the Karukatea Festival over the last decade. And, of course, our legendary warm hospitality and manaakitanga.

“What we’ve achieved in these past 10 years showcases how a small town can foster meaningful cultural engagement and make a significant impact on the national and international stage while growing great communities in Featherston Paetūmōkai and the wider region.”

The festival offers a wide range of events, ensuring there is something for everyone.

To celebrate NZ Music Month | Te Reo Reka o Aotearoa, the festival is back with another music-focused event: The Way of Waiata.

Waiata are more than songs; they are a way of preserving history, culture and language by passing them down through generations. Waiata Māori connect people to whenua, whakapapa and whānau. Join a waiata kōrero with our panel of experts: Ria Hall (Ngāi te Rangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui), Anika Moa (Ngāpuhi, Te Aupōuri) and Warren Maxwell (Tūhoe, Kahungunu, Ngāi Te Rangi, and Scotland).

More details and tickets can be found here.

More festival highlights include:

The Fish’n’Chip Supper. Opening the festival on Friday evening, this legendary event features the best fish’n’chips alongside kapa haka performances by Featherston’s tamariki. Guest speaker Matt Brown (She is Not Your Rehab) will rivet you with his personal story of healing and the anti-violence movement he co-founded with his wife, Sarah.

Lars Mytting. Fire and wood have been closely intertwined with humankind for millennia. Fire is elemental, it brings us together and is a context for storytelling. This explains why Norwegian author Lars Mytting’s book, Norwegian Wood has spread like wildfire around the world. On his first visit to New Zealand, Lars Mytting will impart his wisdom about wood in conversation with John Campbell.

Ko Aotearoa tēnei: Author, tikanga expert, and lawyer Te Raumawhitu Kupenga leads a panel discussion on how the justice system can incorporate tikanga Māori. Featuring an extraordinary line up of legal experts such as Tā Edward Taihakurei Durie, Annette Sykes, Natalie Coates, and Herewini Ammunson.
Invasion! The Waikato War. A stunning array of thinkers and historians gathered together share their perspectives on the transformative impact of the Waikato War, the nine-months of fighting between July 1863 and April 1864, and how its consequences continue today. Not to be missed by history students and military history buffs alike.

Fixing The Bear Pit: How Do We Make Parliament a More Humane and Positive Place? It is well-known that Parliament is not a place for the faint-hearted. In fact, it is often described as ‘a bear pit.’ A panel comprising Kiri Allan, Marilyn Waring, Ron Mark, and Rick Barker, moderated by Richard Harman, discuss potential reforms to our adversarial political system.

Colonisation and Decolonisation: Facing Them Head On. With the book Imagining Decolonisation a notable bestseller in New Zealand, it highlights people’s desire to know more about decolonisation and colonisation, but they often don’t know where to start. Join our expert panel in a fascinating kōrero about the subject.

Rogernomics: 40 Years On through the lens of a Wairarapa community. The radical economic reforms of the Fourth Labour Government 40 years ago had a devastating impact on rural communities, including Wairarapa. The dollar was floated, agricultural subsidies removed, GST introduced, forests sold and state-owned enterprises corporatised. Join The Post editor Tracy Watkins as she discusses the reforms with Wairarapa leaders who lived through the turmoil and politicians who were in Parliament at the time.

Long-term festival favourites are back too, including Mrs Blackwell’s Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea: Cooking with Passion featuring Sam Low (Modern Chinese) and Vanya Insull (VJ_cooks on Instagram, Summer Favourites and her latest, Everyday Comfort Food) and Saturday evening’s Bookten Gala Night promises to be extra special as the festival celebrates its 10th anniversary. The evening begins with Pasifika Power – where outstanding Pasifika writers and commentators including Selina Tusitala Marsh, Tusiata Avia, Mele Wendt, Dame Winnie Laban and Nafanua Kersel honour the inspiring Pasifika poet and writer, Albert Wendt and his influence on them. And in Ten out of Ten, ten of Featherston Booktown’s outstanding alumni from the last ten years read a passage from their favourite work, where they feel they would be awarded ten out of ten. Writers include Owen Marshall, Dame Fiona Kidman, Shayne P Carter, Victor Rodger and Chris Tse.

Other unmissable events showcasing the Karukatea Festival’s depth and diversity include The Pluck of the Irish – Irish author John Connell and New Zealand literary luminaries with an Irish connection, Dame Fiona Kidman, Noelle McCarthy and Claire Mabey explore the secrets behind Ireland’s literary success. Yeah, It’s All Good. Men Keeping Themselves Well is an awesome lineup of personalities who have written and spoken honestly about their mental health and how they work to keep themselves well including Matt Heath, Paddy Gower and Wayne Langford (Yolofarmer on social media). A not to be missed event for all.

Closer to home, there’s The Way of Waiata with Anika Moa, Ria Hall and Warren Maxwell, along with the provocative and entertaining event, Design a Vagina – which explores Ruth Shaw’s new memoir following her best-selling first book, The Bookseller at the end of the World. She’ll be joined by Shepherdess editor in chief, Kristy McGregor. Going Coastal discusses books by Damien Wilkins, Mandy Hager and Tracy Farr, whose characters have crowded coastal areas around Wellington lately, while in Reporting on the rural, remote and hard-to-find we explore magazines which have built strong readerships with their beautifully captured stories of what is happening in rural New Zealand away from cities. Westport Wāhine: Becky and Mel, explores how the environment and culture of Westport enabled Becky Manawatu and Mel Parsons to burst on to Aotearoa’s arts scene.

Featherston Booktown’s patron Joy Cowley will be with us in spirit as we view the first ever public screening of a documentary of Joy’s life by Clare Burgess and Verity McIntosh of Krafty Productions. They’ll be joined by Mark Amery of RNZ in a Q&A session after the screening.

This year’s line-up also includes fun events specifically for tamariki. Join bestselling children’s author Sally Sutton for a rambunctious, rhyming storytime full of big machines, runaway pets and maybe dress-ups! Donovan Bixley performs his latest book The Fantabulous Animal Orchestra with the Wairarapa Youth Orchestra. Cheeky, funny and wildly creative, singer and entertainer Anika Moa will tell you all about The Witch of Maketu and The Bleating Lambs. Join inventor Steve Mushin (Ultrawild) and develop your own outrageous ideas for turning cities into jungles! Come on an imaginary adventure into the bush with award-winning children’s author Gillian Candler. Follow Mia and Leo’s first overnight tramp in Mia & Leo Go Wild! and meet some special native animals from In the Bush.

Tickets are now available, and early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

The Featherston Booktown Karukatea Festival 2025 runs from 9-11 May.

The programme is available in mini PDF Format here and on their website here

Tickets are available at Eventfinda here.