New Zealand Writers
TIPENE, Tim
"A warrior does not raise his fist. A warrior raises hope and direction for those who have none."
TIPENE, Tim (1972- ), Nga Puhi, is a children's writer and founder of Warrior Kids, a community organisation working with at-risk children. "To heal may mean to cry a river," says Tipene. "Only a warrior could do that."A trained counsellor with a graduate certificate in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Tipene is also a martial arts instructor in three disciplines, and a black belt, 2nd Dan. He is aware of the perception that "many of those deemed offenders through the courts have Martial Arts experience," and advocates what he calls "Warrior Accountability".
Martial arts practitioners, he writes, need to emphasise and promote the positive, life-enhancing aspects of their discipline. "A warrior does not raise his fist. A warrior raises hope and direction for those who have none."
After teaching self defence for women and facilitating anger management and Living Without Violence programmes for men, Tipene turned his attention to "a deprived area of community work, Children!!"
He created Warrior Kids in 1994, "before Once Were Warriors," he jokes. Warrior Kids is a life-skills programme offering emotional management, support, self-protection, behavioural responsibility and communication skills for angry and at-risk children.
Tipene was the victim of violence in his own childhood. "Sometimes I'd just get walloped out of the blue for nothing at all. That's how we lived. That's how I thought everybody lived." His work in the community is turning his own tough life experiences into a positive force for change.
Tipene's first book for children is The Wooden Fish (1999). "[T]hemes of conservation and family love are bound together with a deft touch of magic," writes Dylan Owen in The Dominion.
Taming the Taniwha (2001), illustrated by Henry Campbell, tells the story of Tama and how he tames his first schoolyard Taniwha.
(KC.)
Updated Information
Tim is the author of the adolescent novel, Kura Toa: Warrior School (2004).
Haere - Farewell Jack, farewell (2005), illustrated by Huhana Smith, won the Honour Award in the Picture Book category of the 2006 New Zealand Post Book Awards.
Warrior Kids (2006), published by Reed Publishing Ltd.
Hinemoa te Toa (Scholastic, 2008) is about a young girl who conquers her fears.
Writers in Schools
Tim Tipene is available to speak to children of any age through the Writers in Schools programme. He is happy to discuss writing, stories, and any of his work so far. He will speak to a class of any size, and is prepared to run workshops by prior arrangement.
KAPAI Kid’s Authors Pictures and Information
Where do you live? I live in Waitakere, near Bethals Beach in West Auckland.
What books do you read? I don’t read very much because I’d rather be writing my own book. However, I do like reading children’s books.
Who is your favourite author? My favourite author is Roald Dahl.
How do you think up your ideas? I think them up by spending a lot of time with nature, people and animals, and by having lots of silence.
What is the best thing about being an author? The best thing is people enjoying my books.
Some questions from primary school students
What sort of pets do you have? I presently share my life with a dog called Blaze, two cats called Scoobie and Stroodles and some chickens.
What is your favourite colour/food/movie/game? My favourite colour changes with how I feel.
I like eating healthy food, and lots of it.
One of my favourite movies is Ghandi.
My favourite games are computer games.
What is the most fun thing about being an author? The most fun thing is people enjoying my books!
How do you make books? I write the words and send them to the publishers. If they like it then they put a book together. It takes a long time.
Where do you go for your holidays? I like going away for holidays and I try to find places that are nice and quiet. They have to be near the sea or bush and well out of the city. I do like to go to other countries when I can afford it.
What was the naughtiest thing you ever did at school? I found school very hard and there was so much happening at my home that I found it hard to think about school work. The school eventually asked me to leave and not come back.
Some questions from secondary school students
How did you get started? I got started by getting lots of encouragement from some adults, such as teachers, that led me to believe I could write. I also used writing as an escape from hardships and just really enjoyed it.
Who inspired you when you were getting started? I was inspired by looking at the lives of people who really stood out on their own such as Ghandi.
What advice would you give an aspiring young writer? I would advise them never to give up! Rejection is only someone’s opinion, keep going no matter how many times publishers say no or that your work is not good enough. If you believe in yourself it will be easier to filter what is useful and what is not.
Is it difficult to make a living writing in New Zealand? I hope to make a living from writing books one day, until then I have to do other work, which of course takes me away from writing. I believe it is possible to make a living by writing but one would be looking to the international market, New Zealand is just too small.
What were you like as a teenager? Even though I got into trouble a lot, I never did anything to be cool. Nor did I go out of my way to hurt others verbally or physically. In fact, the majority of the time I stood up for others. As a teenager I was lost and felt very much alone.
Is there anything else you could tell children about yourself? I care for and live with a wonderful man with Downs Syndrome.
I studied and taught Martial Arts for many years.
I started the Warrior Kids life-skills programme in 1994 and provided it to schools and the community for ten years. This programme is now around New Zealand.
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