South Auckland Poets Collective. It’s been in existence for more than ten years. It has an inspirational YouTube Channel. Want something to watch in your downtime – watch it.
The SAPC facebook page says “The South Auckland Poets Collective is a group of artists who are passionate about poetry and the community.
The South Auckland Poets Collective was first established in 2008 by co-founders Grace Taylor, Ramon Narayan and Daren Kamali as part of an initiative under Youthline. Although we now sit under the charitable trust Action Education, one of the values still held by this collective is to use spoken word poetry as a tool for positive social change with a focus on young people.
Since 2008 the group has continued to grow in numbers and in influence. In 2012, the South Auckland Poets Collective welcomed new poets into the group which brings the total number of poets to 9. Within this collective are national and international poetry slam finalists and champions. In addition, some are published poets. These 9 voices are seasoned with an eclectic array of stories, experiences and personal truths. Their performance styles differ from one poet to the next which will leave audience members artistically and soulfully satisfied.
The 9 poets in this collective are as follows: Ramon Narayan (Co-founder), Mafi Tavo, Olive ‘Asi, Zane Scarborough, Dietrich Soakai, Marina Alefosio, Lina Tukunga, Ryan Teura and Onehou Strickland.
In 2019 The Big Idea had this promo piece for the SAPC 2019 Auckland Arts Festival exhibition The First 10 Years:
“WORKS BY POETS FROM THE RENOWNED SOUTH AUCKLAND POETS COLLECTIVE (SAPC) ARE ON DISPLAY FOR THE FIRST TIME
The exhibition, South Auckland Poets’ Collective: The First 10 Years, features unique insights into this compelling literary and performance movement and the 35 poets who have come through SAPC over the past decade. Experience an eclectic array of stories, experiences and personal truths through the collected works displayed alongside ephemera, interviews and recordings.
The group officially formed in 2008 and works by co-founders Grace Taylor, Ramon Narayan, and Daren Kamali feature in the gallery spaces, alongside a suite of work by 32 other poets.
The collective uses spoken word, written and slam poetry as tools for positive social change. Within this collective are national and international poetry slam finalists, award-winning published poets, performers, and champions
Curated by Daren Kamali with Sharon Smith
Featuring works by
Grace Taylor, Ramon Narayan, Daren Kamali, Marina Alefosio, Ken Arkind, Te Karere Scarborough, Jai McDonald, Luti Richards, Andrew Harding, Onehou Strickland, Solomon Brown, Pisi Fa ‘aauro, Mafi Tufunga, Ria Masae, Monica Cheung-Fuk, Norman Tiumalu, Sacha Renée Norrie, Elina Ahau Kaukaupolata Luani, Lastman So’oula, Ryan Teura, Maryanne Pale, Rewa Worley, Sheldon Rua, Ashleigh Fata, Victor Kalolo, Laurent Dunningham, Tarah Ross, Mohamed Hassan, Clara J Sione, Esther Grace, Raneem Caco, Roimata Prendergast, Dietrich Soakai, Alyena Martinez, Stevie Sikuea.”
I’ve watched some of the poetry on the YouTube channel. There are individual performances. There is a regular youth inter high school competition – Word The Frontline. There are words. Some of the words are mean and searing. If you want insight into young pre-viral New Zealand; watch this.
SAPC developed from a youth project which continues today “Action Education is a community organisation that believes creativity and our ability to express who we are is fundamental to our wellbeing. We provide platforms and opportunities for people to connect, reflect and express who they are and strengthen community and identity through creative self-expression.
We facilitate programmes, workshops, events and seminars.
Our focus is working with young people to build self-reliance, esteem and confidence but also work with adults in corporate and community sectors to do the same.”
There is a website http://www.actioneducation.co.nz/sapc.html
There’s a facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/sapcauck/
If you want a poetry fix , the South Auckland Poets Collective YouTube channel is the place to go.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaDoZQiVSrFusmgmEGcMmRg
The content of this article has generally been sourced from what is available online and in particular the SAPC YouTube channel.
Rosemary Balu. 
Rosemary Balu is the founding and current Managing Editor of ARTbop. Rosemary has arts and law degrees from the University of Auckland. She has been a working lawyer and has participated in a wide variety of community activities where information gathering, submission writing, community advocacy and education have been involved. Interested in all forms of the arts since childhood Rosemary is focused on further developing and expanding multi-media ARTbop as the magazine for all the creative arts in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.
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