Witi Ihimaera – författare

Eight-year-old Kahu craves her great-grandfather's love and attention. But he is focused on his duties as chief of a Maori tribe in Whangara, on the East Coast of New Zealand - a tribe that claims descent from the legendary 'whale rider'. In every generation since the whale rider, a male has inherited the title of chief. But now there is no male heir - there's only Kahu. She should be the next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl. Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle she has a unique ally- the whale rider himself, from whom she has inherited the ability to communicate with whales. Once that sacred gift is revealed, Kahu may be able to re-establish her people's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention - and lead her tribe to a bold new future. Also available as an eBook

In every generation since the legendary 'whale rider', a male descendant inherits the title of chief. But now there is no male heir-there's only Kahu. She should be next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl.But Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle, she has a unique ally: the ancient whale rider himself. With a fierce determination and the power of her gifts, Kahu may be able to strengthen her tribe's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention-and lead her community to a bold new future.Can she embrace her destiny and become the next whale rider?

In every generation since the legendary 'whale rider', a male descendant inherits the title of chief. But now there is no male heir-there's only Kahu. She should be next in line for the title, but her great-grandfather is blinded by tradition and sees no use for a girl.But Kahu will not be ignored. And in her struggle, she has a unique ally: the ancient whale rider himself. With a fierce determination and the power of her gifts, Kahu may be able to strengthen her tribe's ancestral connections, earn her great-grandfather's attention-and lead her community to a bold new future.Can she embrace her destiny and become the next whale rider?

A mystical story of Maori cultureThe 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?

Caught in the middle of the clash between two great Maori clans, Simeon, grandson of Bulibasha and Ramona, struggles with his own feelings and loyalties as the battles rage . . .  This award-winning novel is being reissued to tie in with the release of Mahana, the stunning film adaptation of the novel. Also available as an eBook

A fine novel from Witi Ihimaera in which a great story about a feisty teenager is interwoven with a dazzling trip through Maori mythology. Stroppy teenager Skylark O''Shea is on holiday with her mother at a town on the coast. But all is not what it seems. What is the threat facing the town and the birds of the forest? Where do the two old charismatic Maori women Hoki and Bella fit in? Skylark becomes embroiled in a prophecy that much to her dismay involves her in an extraordinary journey. Soon she is pitting her wits in a race of breathtaking dimension, a dazzling trip through Maori mythology. This novel by Witi Ihimaera is fascinating and unique. At one level it is a romp and a rollercoaster ride that sometimes reminds you of Lord of the Rings. At other levels it is a brilliant accomplishment of combining this with new ways of exploring Maori myth. Also available as an eBook

Michael Mahana''s personal disclosure to his parents leads to the uncovering of another family secret – about his uncle, Sam, who had fought in the Vietnam War. Now, armed with his uncle''s diary, Michael goes searching for the truth about his uncle, about the secret the Mahana family has kept hidden for over thirty years, and what happened to Sam. Set in the war-torn jungles of Vietnam and in present-day New Zealand and North America, Witi Ihimaera''s dramatic novel combines the superb story-telling of Bulibasha, King of the Gypsies with the unflinching realism of Nights in the Gardens of Spain. A powerful love story, it courageously confronts Maori attitudes to sexuality and masculinity and contains some of Ihimaera''s most passionate writing to date. Also available as an eBook

''Eleven years have passed since that winter of 1986 when I put down my pen on the story of the woman who wore pearls in her hair, my grandmother the matriarch, Riripeti Mahana nee Pere, whom some called Artemis . . .''So begins The Dream Swimmer, Witi Ihimaera''s gripping sequel to The Matriarch, acclaimed winner of the Wattie Award.The Dream Swimmer continues the odyssey of Tama Mahana, grandson and heir to the matriarch, as he assumes the mantle of leadership and, with it, his grandmother''s battles with the Pakeha.  But at every step Tama is thwarted – by deception and intrigue, and by the woman whose destiny has intersected Riripeti''s and his.  She is the enigmatic Tiana, his mother, the woman of no account.Ihimaera continues to dazzle as he negotiates this story of great breadth and breathtaking climaxes, combining the heart of his early work with the deft experimentalism of his more recent novels and short stories.  At once an incisive character study and a deeply moving family saga, The Dream Swimmer is sure to enchant and delight.''Part oracle, part memorialist, Ihimaera is an inspired voice, weaving many stories together.  The effect if epic, operatic., - David Eggleton, Metro Also available as an eBook

In this definitive collection by one of New Zealand''s best-loved authors, Witi Ihimaera offers his personal choice of twenty-four stories from throughout his illustrious career. The pieces span more than thirty-five years - since his first collection, Pounamu Pounamu (1972), was published - and showcase the range, originality and humanity of this truly amazing writer.''Ihimaera is an inspired  voice''- David Eggleton, Metro''One of our most important and influential writers . . . his subject matter, as much as his distinctive lyrical writing style, demand[s] attention.''- Eleanor Black, Weekend Herald

In keeping with his commitment to revisit his first five pieces of fiction, Witi Ihimaera has reworked the original text of this much-loved classic.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 herself. 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. Also available as an eBook Winner of the Wattie Book of the Year, 1986Runner-up for the Commonwealth Writers'' Prize, 1987''Witi Ihimaera''s uncompromising masterwork . . . A profound and spellbinding character study'' - New Zealand Herald

Haare Williams grew up with his Tuhoe grandparents on the shores of Ohiwa Harbour in a te reo world of Tane and Tangaroa, Te Kooti and the old testament, of Nani Wai and curried cockle stew - a world that Haare left behind when he learnt English at school and moved to Auckland.Over the last half-century, through the Maori arts movement, waves of protest and the rise of Maori broadcasting, Haare Williams has witnessed and played a part in the changing shape of Maoridom. And in his poetry and prose, in te reo Maori and English, Haare has a unique ability to capture both the wisdom of te ao Maori and the transformation of that world.This book, edited and introduced by Witi Ihimaera, brings together the poetry and prose of Haare Williams to produce a work that is a biography of the man and his times. The book is a celebration of a kaumatua and an exemplar of his wisdom.

He whakamaoritanga i te pukapuka o Puripaha na Witi Ihimaera mo etahi whanau hoariri e rua ki Te Tairawhiti.Ko Puripaha te tapanga ka tukuna ki Te Pane Kaewa, a, ki Te Tairawhiti o Aotearoa e pakanga ana etahi kokoro tokorua kia whakawahia hai pane.Ko Tamihana te upoko o te whanau toa o Mahana, he whanau kuti hipi, he whanau hakinakina hoki. Ko Rupeni Poata tona ito. He rite tonu te tutakitaki a nga whanau nei i nga mahi hakinakina, i nga whakataetae a-ahurea me te whakataetae Piriho Koura e kitea ai te mapu kuti hipi toa katoa o Aotearoa. I waenganui pu, ko te taitama, ko Himiona, ko te mokopuna a te kokoro raua tahi ko tona kuia, ko Ramona, e pakanga ana i ona ake kare a-roto, i ona ake whakapono ano hoki i te riri e tutu ana i nga wahi katoa.Ko te toa o te 1995 Montana New Zealand Book Award, kua whakatinanatia hirahiratia ki te kiriata o Mahana, a, e aroha nuitia ana e nga whakareanga kaipanui maha. Ma tenei whakamaoritanga e tutaki ai tetahi minenga hou ki a Puripaha, ki tetahi o nga tino pukapuka o roto i tona momo.________A te reo Maori translation of Witi Ihimaera's award-winning novel about two rival Maori families on the East Coast, Bulibasha.Bulibasha is the title given to the King of the Gypsies, and on the East Coast of New Zealand two patriarchs fight to be proclaimed the king.Tamihana is the leader of the great Mahana family of shearers and sportsmen and women. Rupeni Poata is his arch enemy. The two families clash constantly, in sport, in cultural contests and, finally, in the Golden Fleece competition to find the greatest shearing gang in New Zealand. Caught in the middle of this struggle is the teenager Simeon, grandson of the patriarch and of his grandmother Ramona, struggling with his own feelings and loyalties as the battles rage on many levels.Winner of the 1995 Montana New Zealand Book Award, brilliantly realised in the film Mahana and loved by generations of readers, this powerful te reo Maori translation of a New Zealand classic will introduce Bulibasha to a whole new audience.

The 'Our City' series offers a new perspective on New Zealand's major cities. Each volume presents a selection of the literature inspired by one of New Zealand's four major cities. Chosen with care by a well-known editor from each city, the selections include short stories, poems, and extracts from novels and writers' memoirs. Each contributor, whether contemporary or historical, has a strong association with the city concerned, and every selection has something significant to say about the character of the city. Together they create a vivid picture of what makes the city unique.

Sixty-eight writers and eight artists gather at a hui in a magnificent cave-like dwelling or meeting house. In the middle is a table, the tepu korero, from which the rangatira speak; they converse with honoured guests, and their rangatira-korero embody the tahuhu, the over-arching horizontal ridge pole, of the shelter. In a series of rich conversations, those present discuss our world in the second decade of this century; they look at decolonisation, indigeneity, climate change . . . this is what they see. Edited by Witi Ihimaera and Michelle Elvy, this fresh, exciting anthology features poetry, short fiction and creative non-fiction, as well as korero or conversations between writers and work by local and international artists. The lineup from Aoteraoa includes, among others, Alison Wong, Paula Morris, Anne Salmond, Tina Makereti, Ben Brown, David Eggleton, Cilla McQueen, Hinemoana Baker, Erik Kennedy, Ian Wedde, Nina Mingya Powles, Gregory O'Brien, Vincent O'Sullivan, Patricia Grace, Selina Tusitala Marsh and Whiti Hereaka. Guest writers from overseas include Aparecida Vilaca, Jose-Luis Novo and Ru Freeman. Ihimaera and Elvy have curated a luminous hui, a book to return to time and again.

Ein Mädchen lebt die Legende.Eine Herde Wale strandet an der Küste Neuseelands. Koro Apirana, der Stammesführer der Maori, ist verzweifelt. Er glaubt an ein Zeichen. Jahrtausendelang war die Beziehung seines Volkes zu den Walen tief und ehrfurchtsvoll, denn der Sage nach ritt einst der Urvater auf dem Rücken eines mächtigen Wals an Land. Wer kann die heiligen Tiere retten und Koros Volk Stärke und Stolz zurückgeben? Niemand denkt an Kahu, seine Enkelin, die das Leid der Wale nicht länger erträgt ...Ein magisches, weises Buch über die Verbundenheit von Mensch und Tier, die Leben spendende Kraft der Tradition und über ein junges Mädchen, das neue Hoffnung in ihre Welt bringt.