Unfurling Māori & Pasifika Print Publishing

Join publisher Kaiya Waerea in a group study session exploring the Feminist Library’s collections relating to Māori & Pasifika feminist organising in the late 20th century. Together we will look at key periodicals including Bitches, witches & dykes (1980-82) and Broadsheet (1972-1997) and reflect on questions including:

How have indigenous practises of knowledge sharing and collective decision making gone on to shape authorship, editorial processes, and collective organising within indigenous publishing practices?

What does it mean to consider print a diasporic medium? How did this material get here, and what does that tell us about the movement of people and knowledge between settler colonised land and the land of the coloniser through time?

How has indigenous feminist publishing in the South Pacific diverged from and resisted the norms of imported white feminism?

Kaiya will share a bit about his work so far with some of this material, then we will spend most of the session browsing, reading and discussing what we find together.

This hui will prioritise people of the South Pacific diaspora, as well as those that relate to the material through other indigenous positionalities, to connect and learn from this whakapapa of mana wāhine & takatāpui publishing.

This will be an informal session, and koreoro will be followed by some food.

Kaiya Waerea (Ngāti Kahungunu) is a writer, designer, and publisher from Aotearoa, now living in London. His research is concerned with crip feminist methodologies, indigenous knowledge production, and print publishing. Kaiya’s writing has been published by Arcadia Missa, Montez Press, Errant Journal and more. In 2024, his pamphlet Access Questions for Self-Publishing was published by PageMasters.

Alongside Sophie Paul, Kaiya is a founder of Sticky Fingers Publishing, an intradependant feminist press based in south east London. They began publishing together seven years ago out of a shared concern for what knowledge feels like. Since then, Sticky Fingers Publishing has become a site for experimental non-fiction exploring queer subjectivity, the erotics of knowledge production, and the materiality of language.

Access information:

Getting here

To reach The Feminist Library, the closest tube station is Peckham Rye (1.3km away) which is not step-free. The route from Peckham Rye station is step-free but not level throughout. The nearest wheelchair accessible tube station is Queen’s Road Peckham, via a boarding ramp. Bus stops for routes 63, 363, 381, and 78 can all be found nearby. The closest bus stop (for routes 63 and 363 only) is ~330m away, the route is step free and level.

The Sojourner Truth Centre which houses the Library is completely step-free with level floors through-out.

Ring the Feminist Library bells at the doorway (at 137cm), or call us in advance and you will be met. There is a slight depression in the floor where the welcome mat meets the floor. The door is 137cm wide, heavy, and is not automated.

A Library Opener will greet you when you arrive and open the door, please let us know if there is any way large or small to make your visit easier. There is no obligation to chat, you can write a message down and show them if you would prefer or email in advance.

There are three doorways to pass through to access the main Library hall. Foyer double door does not stay open on its own. Floors are smooth and may be slippery if wet.

The main Library Hall is a completely step-free space, with level floors throughout. There is a set of double doors into the hall, and typically only one of them is propped open. We will open both on request. We have a variety of chairs including wide seats, and chairs with arm/back-rests. All chairs have back rests. If you need to reserve an armchair or sofa space please get in touch.

There is a narrow kitchen with crockery and cutlery, a mini fridge, and a microwave. You are welcome to bring food into the library, or use the teas and coffee in the kitchen. There is a Londis 72m (~2 mins) away which is step free and level throughout, with a step free route from the library, though please note the pavement may not be level.

Toilets are all gender neutral. There is one accessible toilet, which does not require a radar key, and two toilet rooms, located just across from library hall, offering cubicles and a urinal. Pull-down changing table is available in the accessible toilet.

Children are welcome but we do not have a creche.

Assistance pets are welcome in the Library. There may be dogs in the Library on occasion, please let us know if you are not comfortable with this.

Hand sanitiser and masks are available. Let the Openers know if you would like others to be masked.

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