Author Description

Alchemy of the Islands is a unique literary collaboration between two cities and two island nations, collecting poetry from ten poets living in Christchurch, New Zealand and ten poets from Holguin, Cuba. Lyttelton-based writer, editor and publisher of literary journal Catalyst, Doc Drumheller has distilled a collaborative experiment between two distant nations into poetic gold. With the help of award-winning translator and writer Manuel Garcia Verdecia from Cuba, Drumheller has combined ten poets from each country and published a bi-lingual anthology. Aimed at bringing the two island nations? literary traditions a step closer, the project is a first for New Zealand and unique in it?s bi-lingual presentation seeing many Maori and New Zealand concepts, images and ideas translated into Spanish. Born out of Doc Drumheller?s participation in the 12th Havana International Poetry Festival in 2007, Alchemy of the Islands?is a kind of?hongi? between New Zealand and Cuba, a poetic exchange from the two cities of Christchurch and Holguin and a migration of kiwi and tocororo? (the national bird of Cuba).