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Chantal Spitz

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Chantal Spitz
Spitz in 2012
Spitz in 2012
Born (1954-11-18) 18 November 1954 (age 69)
Papeete, French Polynesia
OccupationAuthor
LanguageFrench
Notable worksL'Ile des rêves écrasés

Chantal T. Spitz (born 11 November 1954) is a Mā’ohi author and activist.

Biography

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Spitz was born in Papeete, French Polynesia, in 1954. Although raised outside of French Polynesia, after completing her education she returned and now lives in Huahine.[1]

Spitz's work focuses the experiences of indigenous people. She has produced poems, essays, and novels.[2]

Her best-known work, L'Ile des rêves écrasés, is the first ever novel by an indigenous French Polynesian writer.[3] Set in French Polynesia in the time period leading up to the first nuclear tests in the region, it tells the story of several generations of Mā’ohi. Due to its criticisms of the French government, its publication in French Polynesia was polarising. In 2007 it was translated into English by Jean Anderson, as Island of Shattered Dreams, and published by Huia Publishers.[4]

Spitz is a founding member of the literary magazine, Littérama’ohi, a French Polynesian publication that aims to showcase authors from French Polynesia.[2]

Selected works

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  • L'Ile des rêves écrasés (1991)
  • Hombo, transcription d'une biographie (2002)
  • Pensées insolentes et inutiles (2006)
  • Elles, terre d'enfance (2011)
  • Cartes postales (2015)

References

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  1. ^ "Chantal T. Spitz". Île en île (in French). 27 February 2002. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Chantal Spitz". Huia. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
  3. ^ Webb, Jen; Nandan, Kavita Ivy (2007). Writing the Pacific: An Anthology. Institute of Pacific Studies. p. 150. ISBN 978-9823660165.
  4. ^ "Island of Shattered Dreams". Huia. Retrieved 4 November 2017.

Further reading

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  • Spitz is featured in Sonia Fassel's book, Poètes de Tahiti (2001).