Ryan Tito Gapelu is a queer Samoan poet, writer, and educator from Waipahū, Hawaiʻi. His work is rooted in Pasifika culture and experience and has been featured in Hawaiʻi Review, Indigenous Pacific Islander Eco-Literatures, and We the Gathered Heat.
Alocasia 14
“When harvested”
“The pua and the plait”
2025
“Singing in the night”
The Last Bus to Waipahū
2024
2025
“dreams of savaiʻi”
2023
Indigenous Pacific Islander Eco-Literatures
"lei-making"
2022
Lei 10
“Every Butch Queen”
2025
Hawaiʻi Review 97
“murals (in kakaʻako)”
“Kuʻu palala aloha nō”
“What does the Taro dream of?”
Alocasia: 99 queer writers on plants and nature
“When harvested”
“The pua and the plait”
2026 (forthcoming)
2025
Presentation
“The Incredible Transversals: Dispelling Writing Myths as We Navigate the Multiverse.” International Writing Centers Association. Baltimore, MD. Co-presenter.
2023
“The Matter of Mentorship: bridging the gap between first-year writing students & instructors.” University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa First-Year Writing Symposium, Virtually via Zoom.Panel Presentation, organizer.
2023
“Gino Explains the Body.” University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of English Graduate Student Showcase, in-person.
2022
“don’t dream it’s over: re-purposing colonial dreams.” Words @ Manoa Creative Writing Conference, virtually via Zoom.
2022
“Fostering Communities of Writers: Course-embedded Tutors Co-Creating Community with Students on Zoom.” UHM First-Year Writing Symposium, Virtually via Zoom.
2022
“To a Native Daughter: Indigenous Practice as Generative Pedagogy.” 625 Colloquium, Virtually via Zoom.
2022
Prizes
Māhealani Dudoit Graduate Residency. Hawaiʻi Review.
2022
Best Micro-Short Collaboration Prize. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, English Department: Creative Writing Program and Academy for Creative Media.
2023
Words @ Mānoa Logo Contest. University of Hawaʻi at Mānoa, English Department: Creative Writing Program.
2022
Paul Lyons Scholarship. Paul Lyons Scholarship Committee.
2021
Myrtle Clark Award for Creative Writing in Poetry. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, English Department.
2021
English Represents! Selected performer. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, English Department.
2021
Tupelo Snowbound Chapbook Award, Semifinalist.
2025