Anarchist bookfair three years in the making

An anarchist bookfair has been revived after a 50-year break last week in Tāmaki Makaurau.

The Tamaki Anarchist Bookfair was originally scheduled for March 2020 but has faced a series of covid delays.

One organiser, Mikesh Patel, says although the scope of the event has shifted from original plans, there was still a lot of enthusiasm leading up to it.

Patel says that they hope the event would create an accessible space for people to learn about ideas they might not have been exposed to and provide a networking opportunity for those already involved in similar political movements.

The event opened on Friday night with talks from activist and healthcare professional Te Ao Pritchard, alongside Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono. These talks focused on the intersection of Tino Rangatiratanga and wider social-political movements such as Anarchism.

Despite being an MP, Tuiono stated the need for political movements to remain independent from political parties.

The main event took place on Saturday, with 17 stalls stocking everything from books to free household items. Some stallholders had travelled to Auckland from various places throughout the country, and a few had ventured across from Australia.

The bookfair organisers also ran 13 workshops and discussions throughout the day, covering topics ranging from the housing crisis to knitting.

Member of the Tāmaki Renters Union Bernard Marsh says the event was important in providing a practical space to network but also an emotional one to connect with people facing similar issues.

“In the context of modern Aotearoa, both of these points are especially true because the ‘Left’ is quite fragmented, so every chance we have to come together is important.”

Marsh says the Tāmaki Renters Union membership has nearly doubled after they attended Saturday's event.