Q&A: Lana Lopesi
This wayfinding set of essays, Bloody Woman by acclaimed writer and critic Lana Lopesi, explores the overlap of being a woman and Sāmoan. These essays lead into the messy and the sticky, the whispered conversations and the unspoken. These acts of self-revelation ultimately seek to open up new spaces, to acknowledge the narratives not yet written, and the voices to come. Lana answers our quick Q&A.
1. How are you and what have you been up to lately?
I’m writing from day 73 of Auckland’s lockdown so as good as can be. I’ve just been working and trying to manage Zoom school like everyone. Last night though, I chaired a conversation on Indigenous Futurism for The Asia Pacific Triennial and have been thinking a lot about how empowering the conversation was. I really love the idea of Indigenous futurism because it creates such exciting future potentials.
2. If you were working in a bookshop, how would you hand-sell your book to customers? What would you say to convince them to buy and read it?
This is such a hard question, I’m one of those people who just likes to work on my manuscript and then hide. So I would probably be lurking in the background watching someone handle the book. But if by some miracle I got the confidence to go up to them I’d say it’s a collection of creative non-fiction essays which look at the experiences of being both Sāmoan and a woman in Aotearoa, it’s vulnerable and includes lots of moments of me telling on myself – why wouldn’t you want to read that?
3. What books (or other art/media) influenced you while writing this book, or generally in your life?
I read a lot while I’m writing. Some authors who influenced me in no particular order include: Tusiata Avia, Momoe Malietoa Von Reiche, Jia Tolentino, Tressie McMillian Cottom, Meera Shah, Charlotte Grimshaw, Megan Dunn, Mikki Kendall, Tayi Tibble, Legacy Russell, Ocean Vuong, Melani Anae, Ghazaleh Golbakhsh.
4. What good books have you read lately?
I just finished Isobar Precinct by Angelique Kasmara this week and I still feel like I have whiplash from it (in the best way). I am still singing the praises of Megan Dunn’s Things I Learned At Art School for anyone who will listen to me. I loved Loop Tracks by Sue Orr as well.
With my other academic life hat on, I just finished Dear Science by Katherine McKrittick and Everything Ancient Was Once New by Emalani Case – two brilliant books by two incredibly smart authors.
Buy Bloody Woman (Bridget Williams Books), $40
