Acclaimed Māori poet, author and educator Robert Sullivan (Ngāpuhi, Kāi Tahu) has been appointed New Zealand’s 2026 Poet Laureate, bringing a voice deeply grounded in whakapapa, history and te ao Māori to one of the country’s highest literary honours.
Speaking with Radio Waatea’s Matthew Tukaki, Sullivan reflected on a lifetime shaped by poetry, storytelling and the enduring influence of both his Māori and Irish heritage.
For Sullivan, poetry has always been more than carefully chosen words. It is a way of preserving memory, expressing identity and connecting people across generations.
He recalled discovering the power of poetry while still at school, where an inspiring teacher introduced him to literature in a way that sparked a lifelong passion for language. That early encouragement opened the door to a career that has seen him become one of Aotearoa’s most respected literary voices.
Throughout his work, Sullivan has woven together themes of whakapapa, whenua, history, identity and te reo Māori, creating poetry that reflects both the ancient stories of Aotearoa and the contemporary experiences of its people.
His writing has also been shaped by many influences, from whānau storytellers and Māori oral traditions to international poets whose work demonstrated the power of language to explore belonging, loss and hope.
As someone of Ngāpuhi, Kāi Tahu and Irish descent, Sullivan says each part of his heritage has contributed to the way he understands place, history and identity. Rather than existing separately, these traditions intersect through storytelling, family and a shared respect for the spoken and written word.
The role of Poet Laureate offers Sullivan an opportunity to bring poetry to a wider audience over the next three years.
He hopes to challenge the perception that poetry belongs only in classrooms or literary circles, instead encouraging New Zealanders from all backgrounds to see poetry as something deeply personal, accessible and relevant to everyday life.
Sullivan believes poetry can help people make sense of the world around them, offering moments of reflection while preserving the stories that shape communities and cultures.
During the conversation, Matthew Tukaki and Sullivan explored not only poetry but also whakapapa, family influences and the enduring connection between Māori and Irish storytelling traditions.
The discussion even turned to favourite poems. Tukaki shared his admiration for Robert Frost’s “A Star in a Stoneboat,” a work that reflects on wonder, imagination and the mysteries of the natural world—qualities that also resonate strongly throughout Sullivan’s own writing.
As Poet Laureate, Sullivan hopes to inspire more rangatahi to discover poetry, not simply as literature but as another way of telling their own stories.
For Māori, poetry has long existed through waiata, karakia, whaikōrero and oral traditions, where language carries whakapapa, history and cultural knowledge across generations.
Sullivan says those traditions remain as important today as ever, reminding New Zealanders that poetry is not confined to books—it lives in voices, songs, stories and the landscapes that continue to shape Aotearoa.
His appointment recognises not only an outstanding body of literary work but also the enduring contribution of Māori storytelling to the nation’s cultural identity.
As New Zealand’s newest Poet Laureate, Robert Sullivan is inviting the country to slow down, listen carefully and rediscover the power that words hold to connect people across time, place and whakapapa.
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