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 8 May 202611 May 2026 · Nakata Brophy Prize The 2026 Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers (Poetry) Editorial Team Please follow this link to enter the prize. Sponsored by Trinity College at the University of Melbourne and supporters, the Nakata Brophy Prize for Young Indigenous Writers, established in 2014 […] 7 May 20267 May 2026 · Gaming Weaponised play: are loot boxes pokies for kids? Tom Gurn In the last decade, chance mechanics have been increasingly exploited by the video game industry to attract players, including very young ones. And while the federal government is clearly aware of the risks, it really isn’t clear what the right step forward is.
