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Tēnā tātou katoa e te whānau whānui o te ao pukapuka Māori. Ka nui te mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa. Mauri ora!
I had the privilege of reading Pūrākau: Māori Myths Retold by Māori Writers. This book delves into the mystery of Māori stories from ancient times, from the unseen world of the gods; to ancestral feats and trickeries. Pūrākau’s plethora of authors have contemporised and rearranged the stories, reflecting their own creativity and ideas, and making them relevant to today.
Some stories hit home and talk about the harsh realities of sexual abuse, whilst others provide a feel-good factor of love, honour and wonderment. At times, the language is explicit and colourful. If your knowledge of the traditional world of Māori stories is exceptional, then this book will certainly appeal to you. Those not so familiar to the legends of Māori will still be able to appreciate the eloquence and uniqueness of these stories and may be inspired to find out more about mātauranga Māori.
I love this book because it is full of suspense and mystery, and there are hidden messages that pertain to the modern world. It is also written to a very high standard - this is unsurprising, as one of the writers is world renown author Witi Ihimaera.
This book is a must-read, you’ll find it hard to put it down once you start.
Ngā mihi nunui ki koe, ki a koutou katoa. Mauriora!
Reviewed by Michael Naera, MHF Alliance Builder.