Cathie Dunsford

Ngā Puhi

1953 -

Cathie Dunsford was educated at Westlake Girls’ High School and went on to Auckland University where she graduated with a B.A. in English, French, Latin, Music and Eduction, M.A. (1st class) in English and a PhD in English Literature. From 1983-86 she was a Fulbright Post-Doctoral Research Scholar at the English Department/Women’s Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Cathie lectured in English at the English Department of Auckland University from 1976-83 and at the University of California from From 1987-89 she was a Freelance Editor and Managing Editor of Black Widow Publications, USA, and was Director of Forum North Conference and Cultural Centre at the Whangarei City Council from Cathie was co-ordinator of the Matakana Community Scheme in Northland in 1990-1992 and was Director of Dunsford and Associated Publishing Consultants from In 1987 she went on a lecture tour of the USA presenting papers at various universities on Māori and Pacific Island literature, film, video and politics. From 1990-1995 she conducted Creative Writing and Publishing Workshops at Community Arts Councils, Centres for Continuing Education, Marae, Polytechs, galleries and women’s centres. From 1993-1995 she taught an Assessment and Editing Module at New Zealand’s only full-time professional publishing course at Whitireia Polytech, Wellington. Cathie has had work published in a German edition of writing by Māori women called Nga Uri a Papatuanuku: The Descendants of the Earth Mother: Die Nachkommen der Erdmutter: Poems and short stories by Māori Women Writers. (1995).

Biographical sources

  • Correspondence from Cathie Dunsford, 14 Sept. 1998.

    Fiction

  • "Celebration." Me and Marilyn Monroe: New Writing by New Zealand Women: Writing the Body. Wellington, N.Z.: Daphne Brasell, 1983. 196-200.
  • "Cave of Tongues." Erotic Writing. Ed. Sue McCauley. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1992. Rpt. in Car Maintenance: Explosives and Love: Australia-New Zealand Anthology. Eds. Susan Hawthorne, Susan Sayer and Cathie Dunsford. North Melbourne, Austral.: Spinifex, 1997.
  • Cowrie. Melbourne, Austral.: Spinifex; USA and Canada: Inland; UK and Europe: BRAD; Auckland, N.Z.: Tandem, 1994. Extracts rpt. with artwork in Countering the Myths. Ed. Rosamund Elwin. Toronto, Can.: Women’s Press, 1996. 171-185.
  • This novel was nominated for the USA Library Award, the Commonwealth Writer’s Prize for best first book Asia-Pacific, the Montana Book Awards, and the NZ Book Awards. It was launched by Keri Hulme at International Feminist Bookfair, Melbourne, Australia, July 31, 1994. It was also launched by British Literary Critic Sara Fuller-Sessions and Australian publishers in London, July 4, 1995 at Silver Moon Bookstore.
  • The Journey Home: Te Haerenga Kainga. North Melbourne, Austral.: Spinifex, 1997. Extract rpt. in Australian Women’s Book Review October 1995. No further details. First five chapters published in Hecate: An Australian Literary Journal 21.1 (1995). An extract rpt. in Te Ao Mārama: Contemporary Māori Writing. Comp. and ed. Witi Ihimaera. Contributing ed. Haare Williams, Irihapeti Ramsden and D. S. Long. Vol. 5: Te Torino: The Spiral. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed, 1996. 149-153.
  • "Heart of the Dunes." Car Maintenance, Explosives and Love and Other Contemporary Lesbian Writings. Ed. Susan Hawthorne, Susan Sayer and Cathie Dunsford. North Melbourne, Austral.: Spinifex, 1997.
  • "Ao toa: Earth Warriors." Extract rpt. in Get On The Waka: Best Recent Māori Fiction. Ed. with and intro. By Witi Ihimaera. Auckland, N.Z.: Reed Book, 2007. 32-36.

  • Non-fiction

  • "Writing Ourselves Whole." Broadsheet 186 (1991):28-30.
  • An edited version of a longer paper presented by Dunsford at a Readers and Writers’ weekend run by the Maungawhau Arts Council, Auckland, N.Z. in 1990. It was updated in 1991.
  • "Lesbian Studies and Recent Lesbian Writing from Aotearoa/New Zealand." Lesbian Studies: Present and Future. 2nd ed. Ed. Bonnie Zimmerman and Toni McNaron. [New York]: Feminist Press, City U of New York, 1995. No further details.
  • "Surfing the Edges of the Alphabet." Radical Voices. Ed. Renate Klein. Australia: Spinifex, 1995.
  • Co-authors Cathie Dunsford, Beryl Fletcher and Susan Sayer.
  • "The Exploding Frangipani: Lesbian Writing from Aotearoa/New Zealand." International Lesbian Review of Books 1.3 (1995). No further details.
  • A 3,000 word essay.
  • "From Sappho to Surfing the Internet: Global Lesbian Writing and Publishing." Lesbian Studies. Eds. Alison Laurie and Linda Evans. [Wellington, N.Z.]: Victoria UP, 1996.
  • This paper was presented at the Lesbian Studies Conference at Victoria University in June 1995.
  • "Visual Storyteller: The Art of John Foster." Art New Zealand 82 (1997): 49-51.

  • Other

  • New Women’s Fiction. Auckland, N.Z.: New Women’s Press, 1986.
  • Cathie Dunsford "edited text and wrote academic introduction to New Zealand’s first collection of new writing by New Zealand women. Edition of 2,000 sold out within 6 weeks. Open submissions broke new ground by inviting previously unpublished writers to submit material. Over 100 submissions received."
  • The Exploding Frangipani: Lesbian writing from Australia and New Zealand. Auckland, N.Z.: New Women’s Press, 1990.
  • Cathie was literary co-editor with Susan Hawthorne and wrote the academic introduction of this "first Australian-New Zealand collection of lesbian literature printed."
  • Subversive Acts: New Writing by New Zealand Women. Auckland, N.Z.: Penguin, 1991.
  • Cathie was literary editor and wrote the literary introduction. This book was the "first women’s theme anthology in New Zealand. Sold out print run of 2,500. Subversive Acts was selected to tour for Listener Women’s Book Festival Editors and authors toured and read in Gisborne, Palmerston North, Wellington, Nelson, Auckland and Christchurch."
  • Me and Marilyn Monroe: New Writing by New Zealand Women: Writing the Body. Wellington, N.Z.: Daphne Brasell, 1993.
  • Cathie was literary editor and wrote the academic introduction. Australian distribution by Spinifex Press, Australia. US distribution by Eiron Books, Washington. Me and Marilyn Monroe was selected for Top Twenty Books, Listener Women’s Book Festival, 1993. It was selected to tour for Listener Women’s Book Festival. Editor and authors toured and read in Auckland, Palmerston North, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin.
  • Car Maintenance: Explosives and Love: Australia-New Zealand Anthology. North Melbourne, Australia: Spinifex, 1997.
  • Co-edited with Susan Hawthorne and Susan Sayer.

    • Papers/Presentations

  • Unuhia Ki Te Ao Marama!: Draw Forward Into the World of Light!: Contemporary Māori and Pacific Women’s Literature. National Women’s Studies Association Conference, Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia. No details.
  • A Landscape of the Mind: On the Political and Psychological Origins of the Gothic Novel. 1976. No details.
  • Transcendental Etude: The Concept of the Sublime in the Gothic Novel and Contemporary Art. 1977. No details.
  • The Mysteries of Udolpho: Mrs. Ratchiffe, Feminism and the Gothic Novel. 1978. No details.
  • Towards a Woman-Centred University: A Model for Establishing a Women’s Studies Programme at Auckland University and throughout New Zealand. 1978. No details.
  • Deconstructing the Myths: Basic Concepts of Feminist Literary Critical Theory. 1979. No details.
  • On Lies, Secrets and Silences: The Academic and Literary Patriarchy in New Zealand and Globally, Notes for a Revolution. 1979. No details.
  • The Brooding Castle: The Importance of Medieval Architecture in Gothic Literature. 1980. No details.
  • Come Back Byron! The Concept of the Anti-Hero in Gothic Romance. 1980. No details.
  • Riding a Black Unicorn: Cross-Cultural Politics and Imagery in the Poetry of Adrienne Rich and Audre Lorde. 1980. No details.
  • Downunder We Dance: New Zealand Women’s Literature, Film and Video of the 1980s. National Women’s Studies Association Conference, U of Washington, Seattle. No details.
  • Turtle Grandmother Swims Again: On the Intersection of Native American and Māori Women’s Writing. 1981. No details.
  • Dancing on the Chalk Cliffs at Reugen: Sublime Motifs in Wagnerian Opera and Gothic Romance: a multi-media slide and sound presentation. 1982. No details.
  • Setting the Table: The Establishment and Growth of Feminist Theatre in New Zealand. 1982. No details.
  • The Phenomenology of Anger: Contemporary American Feminist Poetry and Philosophy. 1983. No details.
  • International Feminism: Toward a Global Perspective. Panel lecture with Dr Renate Klein, Dr Gloria Bowles. Women’s Studies Centre, U of California, Berkely, 1983. No details.
  • Lesbian Politics and Literature from the South Pacific. Women’s Studies Centre, U of California, Berkeley, 1983. No details.
  • Exploding the Myths: The Feminist Movement and Women’s Studies in the UK and Advancement of Women’s Studies, U of California, Berkeley, 1984. No details.
  • Revenge of the Amazons: The History and Development of Indigenous and Feminist Theatre in New Zealand and Australia. A multi-media lecture presentation with guest NZ-Australian playwright, Hilary Beaton. National Festival of Women’s Theatre, U of California, Santa Cruz, 1984. No details.
  • Zami and the Invasion of Grenade: Where Poetry and Politics Explode - the Importance of Audre Lorde’s Zami in the Context of Contemporary Politics. San Francisco State U, 1984. No details.
  • Building Bridges from Rainbows: The Intersection of Race and Class in the Work of Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, Paula Gunn Allen and Judy Grahn. Lesbian and Gay Studies Centre, U of California, Berkeley, 1985. No details.
  • The Current Situation and Future of Multicultural Lesbian Studies: A Blueprint for Survival. National Women’s Studies Association Conference, U of Washington, Seattle, 1985. No details.

  • Poetry

  • Survivors: Uberlebende. Osnabruck, Germ.: U of Osnabruck, 1990.
  • A bi-lingual German-English edition of poems by Cathie Dunsford. This publication was "featured at Berlin Festival and sold out print run in Germany. Currently in second edition." Cathie was invited by the publishers to tour Germany with the book in 1992 to present readings to university audiences in Berlin, Osnabruck, Hanover and other Germany cities. The tour’s duration was six weeks during July and August, 1992.

    • Reviews

  • Rev. of A Breed of Women, by Fiona Kidman. Landfall 136 34.4 (1980): 362-365.
  • Rev. of Country Road, Uncle and Others, Harvestman, by Barry Mitcalfe. Landfall 137 35.2 (1981): 223-226.
  • Rev. of A Possible Order, by Hubert Witheford; Victims and Traders, by Bernard Brown. Landfall 139 35.2 (1981): 364-367.
  • Rev. of The Flight of the Godwit: A Portrait of Robyn Hyde, a play by Bridget Armstrong. Landfall 143 36.3 (1982): 329-331.
  • "From the Nuclear Front Line." Rev. of Daughters of the Pacific, Zohl de Ishtar and Indigenous Pacific Women. International Lesbian Review of Books 1.2 (1994-5): 7.
  • Rev. of Palm Prints, by Fiona Kidman. Australian Women’s Book Review 1995. No further details.

  • Theses

  • "Painting Life in Extremes - A Political, Philosophical and Psychological Analysis of the Gothic Novel." PhD Diss. U of Auckland, N.Z., 1983.