- When was Aotearoa discovered - How was Maori society organised in pre-European times - What is traditional Maori art - How does the Treaty of Waitangi affect us today History and culture, from the great Polynesian migration to present-day sport and politics, are explored in this introduction to the world of the Maori.
The history of the Arawa people is meticulously chronicled from their arrival via the Te Arawa canoe to the late nineteenth century in this significant work by Don Stafford. This new edition enhances the original text with a foreword by Professor Paul Tapsell, providing additional context and insights into the Arawa's rich heritage and cultural evolution.
Hongi Hika's invasion of the Rotorua area in 1823 is one of the most dramatic and daring assaults in New Zealand history. Armed with muskets, Hongi's forces had roamed the North Island seeking utu (revenge) for past slights. Te Arawa, inland and with their island stronghold of Mokoia on Lake Rotorua, felt impregnable. They did not count on Hongi's determination - which led to an epic portage of canoes to the lake shores, from which an attack on Mokoia became inevitable. A Wild Wind from the North not only tells the story with Stafford's flair and sense of drama, but is also richly illustrated, including modern photos of the locations depicted. Launch of the book in 2007 occasioned a major meeting of Ngapuhi and Te Arawa that aided reconciliation for the past conflict.