Hundreds of people, including about 140 children, gathered to celebrate the naming of a playground in Featherston after renowned children’s author, Joy Cowley. The event, which took place on Friday morning, was filled with emotional speeches from Cowley and attendees.
The naming ceremony also served as a farewell for Cowley, who has lived in the town for the past 20 years. “My heart is full. I don’t have words big enough to tell you how I feel,” she told the crowd. She expressed her gratitude for the beautiful blessing and stated that a part of her, the child within her, will always remain in the playground.
Cowley’s name was chosen for the playground by the Featherston Community Board to honor her significant contribution to literature, particularly children’s literature. The South Wairarapa District Council accepted this recommendation in September.
In addition to her literary contributions, Cowley is also the patron of Featherston Booktown, an annual arts and letters festival attended by thousands. Peter Biggs, the chairperson of the festival’s Board of Trustees, spoke at the event, praising Cowley’s contributions to readers and her humble nature despite her many achievements.
The event was attended by over 220 people, including children from local schools and notable figures such as South Wairarapa mayor Martin Connelly, Wairarapa MP Mike Butterick, and Wairarapa-based MP Kieran McAnulty. The blessing was conducted by Matua Wiremu Dawson, and school children performed songs and a haka.
Cowley is a highly decorated author, with accolades including the New Zealand Commemoration Medal, an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Massey University, and three-time winner of the New Zealand Post Children’s Book Awards’ book of the year. She was made a member of the Order of New Zealand in 2018 and received an Arts Foundation of New Zealand Icon Award in 2020.
Cowley plans to move from Featherston to Dunedin later this month.
