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Poetry as an outlet: Packed boxes

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Episode 18
3 min / Published

 

Esméralda Puairau, from Faa'a, Tahiti, is a specialised child protection educator. She regularly has to deal with violence and the suffering it brings to families. Writing is her release. She uses her pen to express herself freely and restore hope through the written word.

Recently I realised that it was my grandfather who gave me this social conscience. Writing these stories is a way for me to liberate my own words.

We need a space where we can put into words the people we meet and the things we experience. I would love this writing to be read and shared, because lots of people read something and say to themselves “Hey, that’s my life, my situation, my husband, my child, that’s me, that’s my sister they’re talking about”. So yes, I would very much like to spread these messages. I think it’s like starting a social connection - you feel less alone as a human being. So, if they could be read, I think they would do people good, I’m sure of it in fact!

“Packed boxes from a life in captivity”, this poem was inspired by a lady nearly 70 years old who for a long time had been living in the violent grip of her husband. She managed to escape and asked for help to retrieve her possessions.

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This episode is part of the Putting it into words. series
Poems, songs and documentaries to better remove taboos about abuse
The voice of resilience and respect: Te Faatura
A podcast by En Terre Indigene
“Speaking out for Resilience and Respect” is a toolkit for women who have been victims of domestic violence and is designed to better support them during their efforts to rebuild their lives.
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