Te Puea

by Michael King

Te Puea Herangi, whom Professor John Pocock identified as 'possibly the most influential woman in our political history', wanted an honest biography of her turbulent life. 'I want the truth told and nothing but the truth,' she told a Pakeha journalist. Michael King has written such a book. He did so with the full support of Te Puea's tribe, Tainui, and of her surviving family and protégés.

When this book first appeared in 1977 it was hailed as the best book written by or about a New Zealander. The Oxford History of New Zealand Literature said it was so far an advance on anything published previously that it was without precedent. It remains so.

Genres: History, Biography Memoir

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 1978

About the author

Michael King was one of New Zealand's leading historians and biographers. In 2006 he was named one of 100 most important New Zealanders that have ever lived. He published more than 34 books in his lifetime. His last, The Penguin History of New Zealand, has sold more than 200,000 copies and is widely considered to be the definitive history of New Zealand. His work in literary biography - most notably Wrestling With the Angel, on the life of Janet Frame - also received great critical acclaim. He made many level-headed contributions to race-relations debates and is sorely missed by his country.

Reviews

[Ken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael King in an interview 2004, he stated this was the first real book he wrote which he never intended to write but when researching there was nothing like it and persuaded by academic mentors he carried on, written 16 years after Te Puea passing in 1952 so its from others living, interviews and accounts of people still living who knew her, and partly from the many letters of correspondence with government officials she only spoke and all correspondence was in Maori. Early 1920s Tainui were in a world of disaster landless penniless and nomads in what was once their own land, Through unprovoked settler war but they never lost heart clawed their way back through enterprise and pluck, through the sheer will of Te Puea and others, whose vision to many around her was sometimes very obscure even to herself I imagine, but anyway slippery and wriggling like a half caught eel she made gains and losses but in backing her decisions. Now in 2024 King movement is what it is still determined some clear headed thinking definitely required. Through constructive robust communication, Through songs, waiata, if only they knew what was being said. Anyway the world is a better place being forthright and nothing is hidden, and staying humble because you don't know everything and open willingness to learn something new, why well your time here is pretty brief. The world is an exciting place, dangerous yes, hidden traps, many and that's the truth.

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

They don't teach you this side of history in school and it is of great disservice to the people of New Zealand.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Michael King is an excellent researcher, historian and writer. His books are wonderful and easy to read, and so informative and balanced. Te Puea was an interesting character, who I'd never heard of, but she sounds like she was quite a formidable force who did a lot to shape Waikato Maori and the Kingitanga in ways that can be felt even today. And it very much gives a powerful view of how colonization has affected Maori, in this book specifically in the Waikato and King Country, despite strong leaders who could see what was happening and fought to stop it.

[Giorgioneruth Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book, I felt empowered just reading about her