Monday 29 June 2009

Tokoroa teens love 'The Tapu Garden of Eden'

Last month (May 2009) I was invited by the English master at Tokoroa High School to talk to his students about The Tapu Garden of Eden which they had been studying. What a privilege it was to be able to see and hear how moved the students were by my story. They really loved it.

The local paper even printed a story about  the visit. Here's part of what it said under the headline NZ novelist visits Tokoroa High.

'New Zealand novelist Robert Bolton visited Tokoroa High School earlier this month.
Teacher Keinan Ngapo said the students had recently studied Mr Bolton's novel 'The Tapu Garden of Eden' and it touched on many aspects of culture and loss of identity and the effect that the land can have on a person.' 

The impact and motivation of Mr Bolton's speech and workshop illustrated to the students that literacy is crucial. Mr Ngapo said Mr Bolton provided a fantastic workshop and the students really gained great insight from his presentation. The students had earlier welcomed Mr Bolton with a powhiri, giving him a taste of Tokoroa.