Titaua is the first ever Randell Cottage laureate from French Polynesia, with the only previous recipient from the region having been Nicholas Kurtovich of New Caledonia in 2007. She was selected by a panel convened by the Embassy, consisting of both French and New Zealand representatives.
Titaua is considered one of the principal French-speaking voices in the literature of the Pacific, with her writings focusing on Polynesian society, the impact of colonialism and the place of women. See the Embassy’s announcement for further background.
The Trust understands that Titaua plans to use her residency to continue working on a major project which will comprise three volumes, presenting a near future marked by a reverse migration, in which inhabitants of Aotearoa have migrated north to the island of Mangareva following a great war. Combining a futuristic situation with social realism, the narrative will also feature Mā’ohi cosmogony and explore the links between Indigenous peoples of Polynesia, notably Mā’ohi and their Māori descendants.