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Once Were Warriors Trilogy #3
Jake's Long Shadow
Jake's Long Shadow by Alan Duff Vintage New Zealand, New Zealand, 2002 ISBN 1869415116
- GenresFictionIndigenous
239 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
19 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
Alan Duff
43 books56 followersAlan Duff (born October 26, 1950, Rotorua, New Zealand) is a New Zealand novelist and newspaper columnist, most well known as the author of Once Were Warriors. He began to write full-time in 1985.
He tried writing a thriller as his first novel, but it was rejected. He burned the manuscript and started writing Once Were Warriors, which had an immediate and great impact. The novel is written in juxtaposed interior monologues, making its style stand out from other works. It was winner of the PEN Best First Book Award, was runner-up in the Goodman Fielder Wattie Award, and was made into the award-winning film of the same name in 1994.
Another of his novels, One Night Out Stealing, appeared in 1991 and shortlisted in the 1992 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.
He was also awarded the Frank Sargeson Fellowship in 1991, and began writing a weekly -- later bi-weekly — column for the Evening Post (Wellington newspaper), syndicated to eight other newspapers. In this, and in his 1993 analysis, Māori: The Crisis and the Challenge, he has developed his ideas on the failures of Māoridom, castigating both the traditional leadership and the radical movement for dwelling on the injustices of the past and expecting others to resolve them, instead of encouraging Māori to get on and help themselves. The blame for Māori underperformance he puts squarely back on Māori, for not making the most of the opportunities given them. This somewhat simplistic message has proved highly controversial.
State Ward started as a series of episodes on radio in 1993 and was published as a novella in 1994.
The Books in Homes scheme, co-founded in 1995 by Duff and Christine Fernyhough, with commercial sponsorship and government support, aims to alleviate poverty and illiteracy by providing low-cost books to underprivileged children, thus encouraging them to read. In its first year alone it put about 180,000 new books in the hands of about 38,000 children. By 2008, the scheme delivered 5 million books to schools around New Zealand.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1996), the sequel to Once Were Warriors, was the winner of the fiction section of the 1997 Montana Book Awards and was also made in to a film in 1999. Two Sides of the Moon was published in 1998. Duff wrote his own memoir, Out of the Mist and the Steam, in 1999. His first novel to be set outside of New Zealand is Szabad (2001). Inspired by the stories of people Duff met during his several trips to Hungary, the story takes place in Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Jake's Long Shadow (2002) is the third volume in Duff's Once Were Warriors trilogy. In 2003 Once Were Warriors was brought to the stage across New Zealand as a musical drama.
He tried writing a thriller as his first novel, but it was rejected. He burned the manuscript and started writing Once Were Warriors, which had an immediate and great impact. The novel is written in juxtaposed interior monologues, making its style stand out from other works. It was winner of the PEN Best First Book Award, was runner-up in the Goodman Fielder Wattie Award, and was made into the award-winning film of the same name in 1994.
Another of his novels, One Night Out Stealing, appeared in 1991 and shortlisted in the 1992 Goodman Fielder Wattie Book Awards.
He was also awarded the Frank Sargeson Fellowship in 1991, and began writing a weekly -- later bi-weekly — column for the Evening Post (Wellington newspaper), syndicated to eight other newspapers. In this, and in his 1993 analysis, Māori: The Crisis and the Challenge, he has developed his ideas on the failures of Māoridom, castigating both the traditional leadership and the radical movement for dwelling on the injustices of the past and expecting others to resolve them, instead of encouraging Māori to get on and help themselves. The blame for Māori underperformance he puts squarely back on Māori, for not making the most of the opportunities given them. This somewhat simplistic message has proved highly controversial.
State Ward started as a series of episodes on radio in 1993 and was published as a novella in 1994.
The Books in Homes scheme, co-founded in 1995 by Duff and Christine Fernyhough, with commercial sponsorship and government support, aims to alleviate poverty and illiteracy by providing low-cost books to underprivileged children, thus encouraging them to read. In its first year alone it put about 180,000 new books in the hands of about 38,000 children. By 2008, the scheme delivered 5 million books to schools around New Zealand.
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1996), the sequel to Once Were Warriors, was the winner of the fiction section of the 1997 Montana Book Awards and was also made in to a film in 1999. Two Sides of the Moon was published in 1998. Duff wrote his own memoir, Out of the Mist and the Steam, in 1999. His first novel to be set outside of New Zealand is Szabad (2001). Inspired by the stories of people Duff met during his several trips to Hungary, the story takes place in Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Jake's Long Shadow (2002) is the third volume in Duff's Once Were Warriors trilogy. In 2003 Once Were Warriors was brought to the stage across New Zealand as a musical drama.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 14, 2019
I had been trying to track down this book for a number of years through fair mean or foul. I had read Once Were Warriors early in my adult reading life and it was chilling. I was not aware that Duff had written a conclusion to Jake Heke’s story.
Jake carries his redemption forward in this book. He begins to understand the importance of being meek (in the historical sense of the word). Jake challenges his mother seeking to understand how he became Jake the Muss.
I found a lot of character interesting especially the following.
Apeman's (Maori Prisoner and Gang Leader) absolute but hidden contempt for Manu Pora (self-appointed Maori cultural elder and leader). Apeman feels Pora has co-opted his suffering to further Pora ideological and political agenda, but he must suffer through his bullshit because he has power over his prison. Apeman sees Pora using his cultural mana to dig his nose ever deeper into the trough of Public Funds, and is deeply cynical about “liberal go gooders” whilst trying to manipulate them in every which way for his own advantage. Apeman shares this contempt for Sarah Hudson, a bored rich social justice warrior who fills her virtue signalling time by sitting on parole boards. Just because people grow up in poverty does not mean they are stupid and can no longer see the motives of others. Everyone manipulates everyone else for their own advantage. For Apeman is it dog eat dog.
Duff's character Charlie Bennett a middle-classed Maori, questions why middle classed white people only venerate Maori culture? It is not like they invest time celebrating what their ancestors did 500 years ago. They embrace modernity, whilst actively encouraging Maori to embrace the past. Bennett reflects that unquestioned veneration of the ancestors does not prepare young Maori for modernity.
In the conclusion Charlie Bennett feels all his life’s efforts to improve the lot of Maori have been wasted and made no impact at all. Charlie comes to the conclusion that nothing will change in the group until individuals adopt aspirations and responsibilities. I could not help but hear the voices of Alan Duff the man in Bennett's voice. Once Duff became successful with the release of Once Were Warriors. I remember his "Books in Homes" program where Duff gave 1000's of books to Maori homes. He cared deeply about improving the lot of Maori. I cannot help but hear Duff;s frustration at the futility of his efforts in achieving nothing for the group. I also wonder how many individual lives were changed by Duff's books. I cannot allow myself to believe his efforts were completely futile. If they were, why should I bother.
Ultimately the book is about inter-generational poverty and is relevant where ever you find poverty. Duff has a few ideas about breaking the poverty trap (mostly around adopting Western Middle Class values in your day to day life). I found if very readable and relatable to both my past (New Zealand) and present (Australia). Given Duff is a Maori, and seems to be a Political Conservative, it is an important perspective. Not all Indigenous people are Liberals, and the non-Liberal voices deserve a place at the table. We are all in this together.
I am pretty sure I have not read “What Became of the Broken Hearted” (I watched the movie). So I will be sure to read it before the year is complete.
Jake carries his redemption forward in this book. He begins to understand the importance of being meek (in the historical sense of the word). Jake challenges his mother seeking to understand how he became Jake the Muss.
I found a lot of character interesting especially the following.
Apeman's (Maori Prisoner and Gang Leader) absolute but hidden contempt for Manu Pora (self-appointed Maori cultural elder and leader). Apeman feels Pora has co-opted his suffering to further Pora ideological and political agenda, but he must suffer through his bullshit because he has power over his prison. Apeman sees Pora using his cultural mana to dig his nose ever deeper into the trough of Public Funds, and is deeply cynical about “liberal go gooders” whilst trying to manipulate them in every which way for his own advantage. Apeman shares this contempt for Sarah Hudson, a bored rich social justice warrior who fills her virtue signalling time by sitting on parole boards. Just because people grow up in poverty does not mean they are stupid and can no longer see the motives of others. Everyone manipulates everyone else for their own advantage. For Apeman is it dog eat dog.
Duff's character Charlie Bennett a middle-classed Maori, questions why middle classed white people only venerate Maori culture? It is not like they invest time celebrating what their ancestors did 500 years ago. They embrace modernity, whilst actively encouraging Maori to embrace the past. Bennett reflects that unquestioned veneration of the ancestors does not prepare young Maori for modernity.
In the conclusion Charlie Bennett feels all his life’s efforts to improve the lot of Maori have been wasted and made no impact at all. Charlie comes to the conclusion that nothing will change in the group until individuals adopt aspirations and responsibilities. I could not help but hear the voices of Alan Duff the man in Bennett's voice. Once Duff became successful with the release of Once Were Warriors. I remember his "Books in Homes" program where Duff gave 1000's of books to Maori homes. He cared deeply about improving the lot of Maori. I cannot help but hear Duff;s frustration at the futility of his efforts in achieving nothing for the group. I also wonder how many individual lives were changed by Duff's books. I cannot allow myself to believe his efforts were completely futile. If they were, why should I bother.
Ultimately the book is about inter-generational poverty and is relevant where ever you find poverty. Duff has a few ideas about breaking the poverty trap (mostly around adopting Western Middle Class values in your day to day life). I found if very readable and relatable to both my past (New Zealand) and present (Australia). Given Duff is a Maori, and seems to be a Political Conservative, it is an important perspective. Not all Indigenous people are Liberals, and the non-Liberal voices deserve a place at the table. We are all in this together.
I am pretty sure I have not read “What Became of the Broken Hearted” (I watched the movie). So I will be sure to read it before the year is complete.
April 13, 2024
The final (and in my opinion) the most satisfying chapter of the "Once Were Warriors" trilogy, offering a long-awaited catharsis. The Hekes have entered the 2000s and we get to see a mature Jake (once the Muss) now in search of his past and trying to mend with his former wife Beth, now happily married to Charlie Bennett (clearly a self-representation of many of the sharps political stances of the author, who found himself bitter at the time because of Maoris' little advance but calmly realizing everybody couldn't be saved); Polly is slowly becoming a nouveau rich, buying and reselling (gentrifying) abandoned state houses in Pine Block, while facing her growing materialistic detachment. The most notable plots involve however Abe Heke getting his life back after testifying on the man who killed his brother Nig (thus not pursuing revenge) and finally breaking the cycle of violence inherited by his father, also thanks to a seemingly nameless unknown relative intervening against the plan of the gang leader, and surprisingly, a "pakeha" (foreign) protagonist in Alistair Trambert (the depressed son of the supposedly wealthy guy in which property Grace hanged herself), who gets his life back after taking interest in the tragedy of his flatsharer Sharneeta and deciding to change for the better.
September 28, 2011
A worthy ending to the splendid Once Were Warriors trilogy, answering questions left open in the previous two books.
June 3, 2013
The incisive style of Once Were Warriors has gone by this third volume,
instead we get Duff's unfiltered opinions on the problems of Maori
culture. And they are problems, but this reads like a Murdoch News article.
instead we get Duff's unfiltered opinions on the problems of Maori
culture. And they are problems, but this reads like a Murdoch News article.
April 29, 2017
an interesting end to the jake the muss saga. although interesting i found myself disagreeing in places as it seemed a bit to dramatised. definetly worth a go if youve read the books or watched the movies as it shows where the characters end up
September 14, 2020
A satisfying end to a difficult-to-read trilogy. Unfortunately, in this book more than the other two, the author’s belief that individuals are wholly responsible for their lot in life, and society holds little responsibility, came shining through. As a student of systems and their effects on individuals, I can say that I agree, to an extent - an individual is responsible for the choices they make once they reach maturity. On that, we agree. But each individual’s choices are constrained by the system in which they operate. There are always outliers, who buck the trends one way or the other, but it is a mistake to think that the behavior of those outliers is accessible to everybody. 95% of people will operate within the system. In order to reduce problems that affect huge numbers of people, we need to look at systemic fixes, some of which will take generations. I found the author’s ideology made an otherwise powerful series weaker than it needed to be.
I loved it, even so. The characters, and their challenges, were so far out of my lived experience that I simply read it and soaked it in. With luck, or insight, I hope we can bring an end to lives of hopelessness and violence, as Alan Duff so eloquently painted.
I loved it, even so. The characters, and their challenges, were so far out of my lived experience that I simply read it and soaked it in. With luck, or insight, I hope we can bring an end to lives of hopelessness and violence, as Alan Duff so eloquently painted.
August 12, 2025
Most satisfying finale to an intense trilogy. I would have been fine if it had been even longer.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews