Karlo Mila

Karlo Mila (born 1974) is a New Zealand poet.

Biography

Karlo Mila is of Tongan, Palangi (Palagi) and Samoan heritage. She was born in 1974 in Rotorua, New Zealand[1] and was educated at Massey University in Palmerston North. Her first award was the NZSA Jessie Mackay Award for Best First Book of Poetry at the 2006 Montana New Zealand Book Awards, for Dream Fish Floating.[2] She then went on to contribute to anthologies such as Whetu Moana (Auckland University Press, 2003), Niu Voices (Huia Publishers, 2006), and Short Fuse: The Global Anthology of New Fusion Poetry (Rattapallax Press, 2002).[3] She has had her second book published, A Well Written Body (Huia, 2008), in collaboration with German-born artist Delicia Sampero.[2]

Mila says she has been writing poetry since standard three.[4] Her work has been described as "poetry [that] speaks to the soul". Her creative-style includes many references to her cultural roots including the broader Pacific, political issues, and love. She is also interested in the idea of literary whakapapa (genealogy), dedicating entire sections to it - "Chanting Back To The Bones" and "Tuakana" - in Dream Fish Floating. Currently, she has completed her PhD in Sociology at Massey University, after being based in Auckland for 10 years.[5]

Awarded a Fulbright scholarship in 2015, Mila had a three month residency at University of Hawai'i.[6] In 2016, she was awarded the Contemporary Pacific Art Award at the Creative New Zealand Arts Pasifka Awards.[7]

Works

Poetry
  • Dream Fish Floating (Huia, 2005)
  • A Well Written Body, with German-born artist Delicia Sampero (Huia, 2008)
  • Goddess Muscle (Huia, 2020)

Anthologies
  • Short Fuse: The Global Anthology of New Fusion Poetry (Rattapallax Press, 2002)
  • Whetu Moana: Contemporary Polynesian Poems in English (Auckland University Press, 2003)
  • Best New Zealand Poems (Victoria University Press, 2003, 2005 & 2006)
  • Niu Voices (Huia, 2006)

References
  1. "Karlo Mila". Academy of New Zealand Literature. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  2. Samdog Design Ltd. "New Zealand Book Council". Bookcouncil.org.nz. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  3. Archived June 17, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  4. "Huia Publishers - Maori, Pacific, New Zealand books". Huia.co.nz. 3 September 2012. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 26 September 2012.
  5. Nicky Pellegrino (18 July 2008). "Thirtysomething love poetry". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  6. "Acclaimed Pacific poet Dr Karlo Mila awarded writing residency in Hawai'i". Fulbright New Zealand. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
  7. "Arts Pasifika Awards". Creative New Zealand. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
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