Upwellings: The Outstanding Spiritual Qualities of Te Waikoropupu Springs

The Outstanding Spiritual Qualities of Te Waikoropupū Springs Kevin Fiadh Moran is a poet-shaman and activist who coordinates the Save Our Springs (SOS) Campaign whose goal is to protect Te Waikoropupū Springs in Mohua (Golden Bay). In 2023, after a fierce Environment Court battle, the Court created the ground-breaking Te Waikoropupū Springs Water Conservation Order. Upwellings is written in the tradition of the poets, prophets, and activists of many traditions who step beyond cultural conditioning in search of social and environmental justice. This is a deeply spiritual book whose eighty-eight poems employ a variety of poetic forms, including shamanic sonnets, wisdom sayings, and protest poems. The Sacred Feminine is at the heart of the book. The book also contains pioneering evidence on the ‘outstanding spiritual characteristics’ of Te Waikoropupū Springs for tauiwi (non-Māori). In a landmark decision, this evidence was accepted by the Court, creating legal precedence. Rallying for the sacred waters of Te Waikoropupū, the author reveals both soulful and scientific learning and the drama of this unique environmental case as it is taken to court. Here is the battle song, the soulful song, and the victory song. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to read work that soothes the soul and inspires action to save the planet. – Saige Vendome England, poet, human rights journalist, and author of The Seasonwife