Haka

by Patricia Grace, Andrew Burdan (Illustrator)

This is the story of the great Ngāti Toa chief Te Rauparaha and how he came to compose the haka 'Ka Mate, Ka Mate'. Te Rauparaha is pursued across the island by his enemies and he fears for his life. At Lake Rotoaira, he is hidden in a kūmara pit, and Te Rangikoaea, a woman of great power, sits in front of its entrance. As he hears his enemies approach, Te Rauparaha whispers in the dark ‘Will I die?’ Will I live?’. His enemies cannot find him, and he climbs back to the sunlight. As he recounts this adventure to his people, his words are repeated and the haka rings out, which is now passed down from generation to generation. - See more at: http://www.huia.co.nz/huia-bookshop/b...

Genres: Picture Books

32 pages, Paperback

Published September 18, 2015

About the author

Patricia Grace is a major New Zealand novelist, short story writer and children’s writer, of Ngati Toa, Ngati Raukawa and Te Ati Awa descent, and is affiliated to Ngati Porou by marriage. Grace began writing early, while teaching and raising her family of seven children, and has since won many national and international awards, including the Kiriyama Pacific Rim Book Prize for fiction, the Deutz Medal for Fiction, and the Neustadt International Prize for Literature, widely considered the most prestigious literary prize after the Nobel. A deeply subtle, moving and subversive writer, in 2007 Grace received a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to literature.

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing illustrations and incredible story of how Te Rauparaha's haka was created.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a sophisticated picture book than a children's picture book. Well told story with good illustrations.

[Miss Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

How brilliant are the illustrations? I particularly like the ones of Te Rauparaha climbing down into the pit and hiding in the pit. What a wise idea by Te Wharerangi, but not to be outdone, Te Ranikoaea's mana was also vital in Te Rauparaha's survival.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Haka” by Patricia Grace
****
Insightful story about the origins of the modern haka. Brilliant illustrations! Breath-taking!
- - -

[Karen Dransfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Maori version of this story was one of the 2016 New Zealand Children and Young People's Book Award finalists. I read this English version to see what the story was about. It's about the history of how the Haka came about. It's a great informative picture book.