Telling the truth under pressure | Barbara Dreaver
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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I think people do need to be brave. And it's easier said than done. It's actually one of the hardest things to do is to find it deep down inside yourself. I'd been a bit burnt because I'd gone to see a publisher. He'd said to me, oh, there's no interest in Pacific stories and, you know, and just don't think this would sell. Why don't you just write a feature story and sell it to North and South or something? This is probably the happiest time of my life. I don't think I've ever felt this content.
Nau mai haere mai to grey areas with me Petra Baggist. In this episode I put journalist Barbara Drever in the hot seat for a delightful and thoughtful kōrero. We take a colourful ride through her childhood in Kiribati, her incredible work throughout the Pacific as well as the impact of writing her memoir Be Brave and how it helped her process the pleasure and pain of life including the loss by suicide of her beloved brother. So a warning, we do talk about distressing content around children, child sexual abuse and suicide. Please take care as you listen. Here's Barbara. Barbara Drever, it is such a delight to sit down with you.
It feels like coming home, I'm not going to lie. It's nice. It's really good. The minute I saw you, it's like, oh, Petra.
Because we've passed in corridors and we've been at awards ceremonies, but I don't think we've ever sat down and just had a korero. We haven't had a talanoa. We haven't just been in each other's company. So I'm having read quite a lot of your book.
Oh, that's good.
I just want to say it's a great read. It is a great read. I'm loving it.
I'm pleased to hear that. It's important to me that people get something from it and walk away with something. And I don't know what it will be. It's different for everybody.
Yeah, I don't think you have to know. It's none of my business, really. I think people will walk away with many somethings. Exactly. Yeah. I hope so. Was there any fun in writing it? I know it's quite hard to turn the lens on yourself having been, you know, focusing the lens on others for a whole career.
It was fun because, well to start with it was, and when you come to deadlines it's not so much fun as we all know. It was when... Mary Varnum from Our Press and she'd rang me and said, oh, you know, you're thinking of writing a book because a mutual friend had put her in contact with me. And I'd been a bit burnt because I'd gone to see a publisher before that and he'd said to me, oh, there's no interest in Pacific stories and, you know, and just don't think this would sell. Why don't you just write a feature story and sell it to Northern South or something? And I was like, this is not, you know. So I sort of went away a bit bruised and thought, maybe it's not for me. And then I got the call from Mary.
And I think suddenly I got excited again about it. And so I then started writing, you know, themes. And I thought instead of doing a sort of a time thing, which would be really difficult. I'd do it in themes like disasters and things that really have touched me and joy. So I thought I'd rather do that. So when I was doing the little subtitles under each section, I really enjoyed that because I was remembering the stories and some of them are funny.
What motivated Barbara Dreaver to write her memoir 'Be Brave'?
So yeah, that part was fun. Can we go back to you going to somebody and them saying, oh, there's just no real interest in Pacific stories. Isn't that just echoes of your entire career? Yeah. At different points?
At different points, definitely. There's been moments where, you know, I'm strong in myself and determined to... Because I like giving people a platform. You know, their voice is a platform and Pacific people don't get that. So... I really was fighting for that but yes yeah there's been many moments during my career where I've had to think really fight for it and sometimes it gets exhausting and we all know that feeling don't we so yeah in different you know different ways and so yes it was it was quite it was just another knock back and so when Mary rang and said we'll do it I it it
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–3:52
2
What motivated Barbara Dreaver to write her memoir 'Be Brave'?
3:52–9:34
3
How did Barbara's childhood influence her career in journalism?
9:34–40:31
4
What challenges did Barbara face while reporting in the Pacific?
40:31–55:52
5
How does Barbara define bravery in her work?
55:52–1:02:46
6
What personal experiences shaped Barbara's understanding of grief?
1:02:46–1:10:58