Published in Overland Issue 219 Winter 2015 · Uncategorized Red tiki Ben Brown (New Years Day 2015 on the road between Arrowtown and Hokitika.) Bought a red tiki in a Wanaka souvenir shop for a mere six dollars eighty but red is my son’s colour even if he doesn’t know it yet. And the kitschy little atua will look outrageous hanging around his neck. The greeting card is for my daughter. It has a print on it, playful and surreal; a foundling’s dream beneath a sleeping moon. It cost nearly three times more than the tiki but the image suits her soul. I’ll mail it tomorrow from Hokitika in the envelope provided. A greeting card should be inscribed and arrive in the appropriate manner. My son will have to wait until I visit him. A red tiki must be delivered kanohi ki te kanohi. Ben Brown Ben Brown is an award-winning children’s author, poet, short story and nonfiction writer, though he has never quite been able to work out what the various distinctions are, so he refers to himself primarily as a writer. More by Ben Brown › Overland is a not-for-profit magazine with a proud history of supporting writers, and publishing ideas and voices often excluded from other places. If you like this piece, or support Overland’s work in general, please subscribe or donate. Related articles & Essays 3 June 20263 June 2026 · Reviews The past in the object: Vanessa Berry’s Calendar Courtney Powell In her latest book, Calendar, Vanessa Berry explores the relationships that are formed between people and material culture, both fleeting and sentimental, and how they can come to represent us. 1 June 2026 · Culture We were all workers on GeoCities Maria Dudko GeoCities remains an important reminder that collective labour on the internet is not new — and that recognising ourselves as workers is the first step towards organising as such.
