Zech Soakai

Zech Soakai (Poutasi, Upolu, Samoa / Pangai, Ha’apai, Tonga) is a proud tusitala, kaiako, village builder and warrior raiser with ten years’ experience accumulated in the classrooms of South Auckland as a facilitator, educator and more recently Kaiārahi (Dean). He is also a spoken word poet and interdisciplinary artist who, since leaving the classroom full-time, is now broadly entrenched in the work of social change through storytelling. 

After a busy 2025 where he released his debut solo book For All We Know, travelled as a poet to the UBud Writers’ Festival 2025, produced a sell-out season for Tongan theatre show Fā’onelua ‘O Manako Polohiva, and was writer in residence at Tala Jar’s Fafagu Measina: A Residency for Storytellers in Samoa, Zech feels privileged to return as a guest curator for Auckland Writers Festival 2026.