Looking forward to looking backwards: WORD Christchurch 2026

It's only a couple of weeks until a range of local, national, and overseas speakers converge on Ōtautahi Christchurch for this year's edition of WORD Christchurch, opens a new window. I've been lucky enough to attend various WORD events over the years, some of which have been informational, others deeply personal, and others just really entertaining. Each presentation, though, has left me inspired, feeling like I've learnt something, and buzzing to learn more about the topic or speaker I've just been watching. So you know I was really excited to get my hands on this year's programme, opens a new window, and to book in for my picks of the upcoming WORD Christchurch 2026 Festival events!

I've always been a bit of a history nerd, and this year's no different - the presentations which have most piqued my interest all have a bit of an historical bent. From our individual memories to the collective memories that make up the history of a city, to the development of a culture over generations and centuries, these upcoming WORD events will highlight the impact the past has on our present, and demonstrate how we can use the past to create or shape the future as we move forward in time. 

Letters Out Loud, opens a new window

Thursday 3 September, 8pm to 9.15pm at The Piano
With social media sharing so much of our lives online, scheduled bill payments leaving bank accounts automatically, and emails and txt messages the top pick for everyday communication, it's unsurprising that fewer letters are being sent by snail mail. Back in the day though, post was used to share information, thoughts, and ideas with the people around us, and so letters are now a valuable resource for learning about life at different times in the past. Festival speakers Elisabeth Easther, Ariana Tikao, Jo Randerson, Josiah Morgan, Hannah Wheeler, and Gavin Bishop will bring to life characters from the past, channelling their voices and using their own words from their letters in the Papers Past, opens a new window online archive.
Find out more and book your tickets

Mortified: Pax Assadi, opens a new window

Friday 4 September, 4.30-5.30pm. Tūranga
Our personal experiences shape us, and the memories we gather as we go through life inform the ways we interact with the world around us.  Everyone has had embarrassing events happen to them, and in response we can either cower and limit ourselves as we go on with our lives, or learn from those mortifying moments and use them to become stronger. I was already enjoying reading Assadi's memoir Mortified, opens a new window when WORD's programme was released, so am looking forward to seeing him in person and adding to that experience.
Read Ky's preview of Mortified
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Mana: Tāme Iti, opens a new window

Saturday 5 September. 12-1pm. The Piano
This event is sold out, but livestream tickets, opens a new window are available

Tāme Iti (Ngai Tūhoe) has been a leading voice in Māori activism and te reo Māori revitalisation for decades. Now he is coming to Ōtautahi Christchurch to share with WORD audiences stories from his 2025 memoir, Mana, opens a new window, and describe how that voice has developed over the years. I am currently listening to the audiobook of Mana, in which Iti focuses on that Māori concept in his stories about how groups and individuals are able to interact, cooperate, and work together despite their opposing views.  It has been really interesting hearing about his life - in particular the clash of rural and urban lifestyles, whānau and societal expectations, and te ao Māori and Pakehā world views. I am very excited to see him in person and hear more from him.

Mana

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Curious Artefacts of Ōtautahi, opens a new window

Sunday 6 September. 12.30-1.30pm. Tūranga
Pay what you wish

I've always been interested in how societies and communities looked at different periods of history, and enjoy seeing displays of the everyday items and detritus from that have been unearthed from under our feet. As a kid I was seriously considering archaeology as a career ... but rather than retraining at this point I'll be at this talk to hear from actual archaeologists who are already doing that mahi. Come join me, and hear the Christchurch Archaeology Project, opens a new window share some of the treasures (and other artefacts) they have unearthed from underneath our city's streets, pavements, and parks.
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Pātahi: Re-storying the life of a wāhine matātoa, opens a new window

Sunday 6 September. 2-3pm. The Piano
Pay what you wish.

Earlier this year I saw Cindy Diver, opens a new window's play Wahine Mātātoa: The (Mostly) True Story of Erihāpeti Pātahi, opens a new window at Christchurch's Court Theatre., opens a new window Told through clever storytelling and staging, this is a story of whānau and wāhine across time, weaving together the 21st century life of Elizabeth and that of her Kāi Tahu ancestor Erihāpeti Pātahi, two hundred years earlier. Now Cindy's here at WORD Christchurch with Angela Wanhalla, opens a new window and Helen Brown, opens a new window to discuss their personal connections to Pātahi, and to share how her tale was brought to life across the generations from archives to the stage.
Find out more and book your tickets

This WORD Christchurch Festival is going to be full of information and enjoyment. I can't wait to see what new things I discover and learn about over these few days, and I will definitely be back next year to do it all again. 

WORD Christchurch Festival 2026

• Get a copy of the WORD programme at libraries or check it out online.
• Visit our WORD Christchurch 2026 page
• WORD Christchurch's website