The biennial Katikati Haiku Contest is open for entries!
Thanks to the good people at Kings Seeds, there are cash prizes on offer – $NZ100 for first, $NZ50 for second and $NZ25 for third. Plus, the contest offers a book prize for the Best Local Haiku. The junior section (17 & under) is offering $50 for first, $25 for second and $10 for third. All proceeds go to the Katikati Haiku Pathway project.
I’m judging the senior contest – in case you’re wondering, the entries go elsewhere to be sorted and judging is done ‘blind’ – and Catherine Mair the junior section.
Here are the rules:
- Poems should preferably be typewritten, otherwise clearly handwritten. Several poems on one sheet are fine.
- Submit 2 copies of each haiku with 1 only including your name, address, phone number (NZ only), e-mail address, and for the junior section only, age. Junior entrants should be 17 or under on October 31.
- Haiku should not have been previously published (including on the web or broadcast).
- Entry fees: Senior, within NZ: $5 for every 3 haiku or $2 for 1 haiku. Overseas: $US5 for every 3 haiku or $2 for 1. Email Margaret for how to enter using PayPal. In the event that winners are from overseas, cash prizes will be transferred via PayPal.
Junior, within NZ: $1 for up to 2 haiku. Please do not decorate or illustrate entries. Schools are welcome to send bulk entries. - Any entry not accompanied by the correct entry fee will be disqualified. Entrants send cash at their own risk. Make cheques payable to: Katikati Haiku Pathway Committee. No cheques drawn on banks outside New Zealand will be accepted.
- Entries in hand by October 31. Post to: Katikati Haiku Contest, PO Box 183, Katikati 3166, New Zealand. Results announced in November.
If you’re new to haiku or are a teacher wanting to learn more for the classroom there is the excellent Learning to Write Haiku booklet prepared by Katherine Raine for the NZ Poetry Society.
If you’d like to read more deeply and/or brush up your skills, I recommend Haiku Techniques by Jane Reichhold, Guidelines for Editing Haiku by Lee Gurga and the practical advice of How to Write Haiku by Jim Kacian. There are many more useful essays in Archived Articles at Haiku NewZ.
No excuses, get out there and write!
breath, a collection of haiku 
Could you please tell us if this haiku contest is japanese or western haiku?
Hi Amelia, this contest is for haiku written in the English language. Please let me know if you need any further information, Sandra
Hi, Sandra.
So, the next haiku contest will be in August 2018? And is this the place to keep an eye out for details?
Hi Chris, The exact date of the contest has tended to move around a bit but it’s likely to be June or later in 2018. We generally give at least 6 weeks’ notice of the closing date. And yes, here is a good place to see the details. Cheers, Sandra
Thanks, Sandra!