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From master storyteller Witi Ihimaera, a spellbinding and provocative retelling of traditional Maori myths for the twenty-first century. In this milestone volume, Ihimaera traces the history of the Maori people through their creation myths. He follows Tawhaki up the vines into th...e firmament, Hine-titama down into the land of the dead, Maui to the ends of the earth, and the giants and turehu who sailed across the ocean to our shores . . . From Hawaiki to Aotearoa, the ancient navigators brought their myths, while looking to the stars - bright with gods, ancestors and stories - to guide the way. 'Step through the gateway now to stories that are as relevant today as they ever were.'
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Pounamu Pounamu is classic Ihimaera. First published om 1972, it was immediately endorsed by Maori and Pakeha alike for its original stories that showed how important Maori identity is for all New Zealanders. As Katherine Mansfield did in her first collection In a German Pension ...(1911), and Janet Frame in The Lagoon (1951), Witi Ihimaera explores in Pounamu Pounamu what it is like to be a New Zealander - but from a Maori perspective. The seeds of Ihimaera's later works are first introduced in this ground-breaking collection: The Whale Rider in his story 'The Whale', The Rope of Man in 'Tangi', and the character of Simeon form Bulibasha, King of the Gypsies in 'One Summer Morning'; and the themes of aroha (love), whanaungatanga (kinship) and manaakitanga (supporting each other), which are so intergral to Ihimaera's work.
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From the author of The Whale Rider, an intriguing novella about the nature of identity, together with its screenplay and many extras. A medicine woman a giver of life is asked to hide a secret that may protect a position in society, but could have fatal consequences. She is the h...ealer and midwife of her rural tribe, but new laws are in force prohibiting unlicensed healers. When she is approached by the servant of a wealthy woman, who seeks her assistance, three very different women become players in a head-on clash of beliefs, deception and ultimate salvation. Newly rewritten, this novella, along with its screenplay and notes by the author, producer and director, as well as stills from the accompanying film, offers a rich and intriguing package.
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"Both fiction and fact, this book is an exploration of the Battle of Orakau. During three days in 1864, 300 Maori men, women and children fought an Imperial army and captured the imagination of the world. The battle marked the end of the Land Wars in the Waikato and resulted in v...ast tracts of land being confiscated for European settlement. Instead of following the usual standpoint of the victors, this book takes a Maori perspective. It is centred around Witi Ihimaeras moving novella, Sleeps Standing, which views the battle through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy named Moet. Alongside the novella are non-fiction narratives from Maori eyewitnesses, together with images and a Maori translation by Hmi Kelly, further giving voice to and illuminating the people who tried to protect their culture and land. It is estimated that, at the height of the battle, 1700 immensely superior troops, well armed and amply resourced, laid siege to the hastily constructed p at Orakau. The defenders were heavily outnumbered with few supplies or weapons but, when told to submit, they replied: E hoa, ka whawhai tonu matou, ake, ake, ake! Friend, I shall fight against you for ever, for ever!"--Publisher information.
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In The Thrill of Falling, Witi Ihimaera continues his exploration of the novella and the long story begun in his last collection, Ask The Posts of the House (2007) with a new set of intriguing narratives: urban fiction in 'Maggie Dawn'; contemporary comedy in 'We'll Always Have P...aris'; the science fiction novella in 'Purity of Ice'; the new genre of conservation fiction in 'Orbis Terrarium'; the different ways of telling history in the title story; and an adaptation into novella, 'One More Night', of Albert Belz's play, Whero's New Net, which itself was adapted from stories in Ihimaera's second short story collection, The New Net Goes Fishing (1976). The ideas continue to affirm Ihimaera's place in New Zealand literature as one of our finest storytellers.
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There has never been a New Zealand novel quite like The Parihaka Woman. Richly imaginative and original, weaving together fact and fiction, it sets the remarkable story of Erenora against the historical background of the turbulent and compelling events that occurred in Parihaka d...uring the 1870s and 1880s. Parihaka is the place Erenora calls home, a peaceful Taranaki settlement overcome by war and land confiscation. As her world is threatened, Erenora must find within herself the strength, courage and ingenuity to protect those whom she loves. And, like a Shakespearean heroine, she must change herself before she can take up her greatest challenge and save her exiled husband, Horitana. Surprising, inventive and deeply moving, The Parihaka Woman confirms Witi Ihimaera as one of New Zealand's finest and most memorable storytellers. Always surprising and inventive, THE PARIHAKA WOMAN reveals a working writer constantly extending his range and humanity, continuing his exploration into the history of New Zealand and working at its intersections with fiction. It affirms Ihimaera's place in New Zealand literature as one of our finest technicians and storytellers.
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Witi Ihimaeras beautiful story is now a stunning picture book. It tells the tale of Kahu, the first great-grandchild of the whanau, loved by all her relatives except one whose love she needed most her great-grandfather.
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David Munro has everything, a beautiful wife, two adoring daughters, a first class job and a circle of devoted friends. He also has another life, lived mainly at night and frequently in what he comes to know as 'the Gardens of Spain' where gay and bisexual men meet. This is the s...tory of his two lives.
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The matriarch is a woman of intelligence, wit, beauty and ruthlessness, and has become a mythical figure through her fight to repossess the land and sustain her people against the ravages wrought by the Pakeha. Priestess of the Ringatu faith, she has been virtually a law unto her...self. In his search for the truth behind the legends surrounding the matriarch, his grandmother, Tama Mahana delves deeper and deeper into Maori history and lore to understand the mysterious sources of her power and ambition. Witi Ihimaera's prose is at turns lyrical and spare, sensuous and savage. Weaving fact with fiction, this remarkable odyssey into New Zealand history is a novel of stunning imaginative power.
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A mystical story of Maori culture The birth of a daughter - Kahu - breaks the lineage of a Maori tribe. Rejected by her grandfather, Kahu develops the ability to communicate with whales, echoing those of the ancient Whale Rider after whom she was named. This magical and mythical ...novel tells of the conflict between tradition and heritage, from the perspective of Kahu's grandfather, and Kahu's destiny to secure the tribe's future. Age 11+ Ideal for studying multi-cultural texts, gender and environmental issues. The beautifully poetic style and twin narrative lends itself to the analysis of language. To automatically receive all the latest news on New Windmills, why not sign-up for our Heinemann Literature eNewsletter?
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