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Kāwai For Such A Time As This
This epic historical adventure tells the story of pre-colonial Aotearoa New Zealand like it’s never been told before. A young Māori man, compelled to learn the stories of his ancestors, returns to his family marae on the east coast of the North Island to speak to his elderly grand-uncle, the keeper of the stories. What follows is the enthralling account of the young man’s tipuna, the legendary warrior Kaitanga, after whom his marae’s whare puni has been named.
Tracing the author’s own ancestral line, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This reveals a picture of an indigenous Aotearoa in the mid-18th century, through to the first encounters between Māori and Europeans. It describes a culture that is highly sophisticated with an immense knowledge of science, medicine and religion; proud tribes who live harmoniously within the natural world; a highly capable and adaptable people to whom family and legacy are paramount. However, it is also a culture illuminated by a brutal undercurrent of inter-generational vengeance, witchcraft and cannibalism.
Kāwai: For Such a Time as This is the remarkable first novel by respected historian Dr. Monty Soutar, ONZM (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Kahungunu) in a series that reveals the role of colonisation in shaping Aotearoa New Zealand, balanced with an honest appraisal of the country in pre-colonial times.
Tracing the author’s own ancestral line, Kāwai: For Such a Time as This reveals a picture of an indigenous Aotearoa in the mid-18th century, through to the first encounters between Māori and Europeans. It describes a culture that is highly sophisticated with an immense knowledge of science, medicine and religion; proud tribes who live harmoniously within the natural world; a highly capable and adaptable people to whom family and legacy are paramount. However, it is also a culture illuminated by a brutal undercurrent of inter-generational vengeance, witchcraft and cannibalism.
Kāwai: For Such a Time as This is the remarkable first novel by respected historian Dr. Monty Soutar, ONZM (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Kahungunu) in a series that reveals the role of colonisation in shaping Aotearoa New Zealand, balanced with an honest appraisal of the country in pre-colonial times.
371 pages, Paperback
Published September 5, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews
May 30, 2023
It's a challenge to critique this novel after listening to the author (an NZ historian with an ONZM for services to Māori and historical research ) talk so passionately about his journey to writing this book. Will this book ( Part 1 of a planned trilogy ) be the great NZ historical novel we lack? the one to tell "the counter-narrative of Māori history we know so little about"?
Certainly, the author has at his fingertips all the historical details needed and as the story is "loosely based on accounts recorded in his hapū's (subtribes) oral traditions
Once the story gets underway ( after a bit of a clunky framing device ) the reader is transported convincingly back to pre-colonial NZ life and introduced to life in Ngāpō village in 1740. It's a tale full of utu ( revenge ), bloody battles and not an insignificant amount of kaitangata ( cannibalism ). However, as a work of literary fiction, it lacks the finesse in characterisation and story-telling that some readers may hope for. This is not a surprise as Kāwai is a debut novel written (and published ) by those more used to producing non-fiction. Where this novel does succeed is in teaching me more about pre-colonial times than I would have willingly read about otherwise (not-being a great consumer of academic history texts ).
I applaud the tremendous sacrifice and risk the author made to bring this book to fruition and congratulate its Ockham Award shortlisting. I also look forward to seeing it come to life on the screen at some point, where I am hopeful a skilled screenwriter will inject Kai and his ancestors with the missing spark needed to bring them fully to life.
Certainly, the author has at his fingertips all the historical details needed and as the story is "loosely based on accounts recorded in his hapū's (subtribes) oral traditions
Once the story gets underway ( after a bit of a clunky framing device ) the reader is transported convincingly back to pre-colonial NZ life and introduced to life in Ngāpō village in 1740. It's a tale full of utu ( revenge ), bloody battles and not an insignificant amount of kaitangata ( cannibalism ). However, as a work of literary fiction, it lacks the finesse in characterisation and story-telling that some readers may hope for. This is not a surprise as Kāwai is a debut novel written (and published ) by those more used to producing non-fiction. Where this novel does succeed is in teaching me more about pre-colonial times than I would have willingly read about otherwise (not-being a great consumer of academic history texts ).
I applaud the tremendous sacrifice and risk the author made to bring this book to fruition and congratulate its Ockham Award shortlisting. I also look forward to seeing it come to life on the screen at some point, where I am hopeful a skilled screenwriter will inject Kai and his ancestors with the missing spark needed to bring them fully to life.
November 18, 2024
Aotearoa New Zealand is hungry for great historical fiction that tells our story. Monty Soutar, an acknowledged Māori historian, has achieved that with his powerful narrative that informs our past.
Kāwai is an exploration of te ao Māori pre-colonisation. From the everyday life of cultivating, gathering, building, collecting, games, and laughter with a strong sense of family and community, through to the intertribal war-fare, inter-generational grievances and cannibalism.
The strength of voice and focus of intent was clarified with the use of te reo Māori conversations, followed by the English translation. I loved that. Each chapter begins with a whakatauki and we have a whakapapa and glossary as well. A map would have been a bonus. I enjoyed how the characters sometimes had to pause to consider the meanings of whakatauki from the context in which it was delivered.
I'm looking forward to sharing it with my staff and students - we'll need more than this one copy in our school library.
Kāwai is an exploration of te ao Māori pre-colonisation. From the everyday life of cultivating, gathering, building, collecting, games, and laughter with a strong sense of family and community, through to the intertribal war-fare, inter-generational grievances and cannibalism.
The strength of voice and focus of intent was clarified with the use of te reo Māori conversations, followed by the English translation. I loved that. Each chapter begins with a whakatauki and we have a whakapapa and glossary as well. A map would have been a bonus. I enjoyed how the characters sometimes had to pause to consider the meanings of whakatauki from the context in which it was delivered.
I'm looking forward to sharing it with my staff and students - we'll need more than this one copy in our school library.
March 16, 2023
I tend to be a people pleaser but I’m afraid Soutar may not be so pleased with me and what I’m about to write.
I’ll start with the good.
It’s about time NZ literature has a novel that is wholly immersed in pre-colonial Te Ao Māori. It is an oft-forgotten or unknown part of NZ history, particularly for Pākehā. The frequent use of te reo Māori was, at first, a bit hard to get used to in that the English translation that followed disrupted the flow but after a while it became almost second nature to read. Perhaps a good way to get us thinking in a more bicultural mindset? I learnt a lot more interesting kupu Māori because of Soutar’s persistence with it. Also, the use of whakataukī at the start of each chapter to capture the sentiment of the chapter was a lovely touch.
I liked that many facets of tikanga Māori were woven throughout the narrative and explained. It made Māori culture appear more accessible to those who may not have much knowledge of it. The more “intriguing” tikanga that’s often sensationalised, like cannibalism or tohunga powers, were grounded as very much part of human nature and custom.
Now for the bad.
The writing style, although it flowed well, was amateurish. You could tell that Soutar had very much done “Creative Writing 101”. The descriptions over-described; the language and metaphors simple and at times cliché. The English dialogue seemed unnaturally formal in structure, almost Shakespearean, with English words used that I don’t think would have been in existence. Where’s the slang, bro?
Also, most of the narrative was highly predictable. Arguably, I think the last third of the novel was the most interesting and Soutar could’ve explored the emotional bandwidth and complexity of some of the more minor characters that were introduced.
Yikes: the ugly.
I can’t help but think this is a vanity project for Soutar. Knowing Soutar as first and foremost an excellent historian, I picked up elements of historian-esque snobbery and ego coming through. His afterword confirmed this for me. Yes, a novel like this needs to exist, but was it for Soutar to write? Everyone has an ego, especially writers, but this must be balanced with humility. He wanted to write the great NZ historical novel. I’d say he succeeded in the historical elements but not the fictional elements. You need both in order to fully claim that title. With two more books to come in the trilogy, he still has a lot to live up to.
I’ll start with the good.
It’s about time NZ literature has a novel that is wholly immersed in pre-colonial Te Ao Māori. It is an oft-forgotten or unknown part of NZ history, particularly for Pākehā. The frequent use of te reo Māori was, at first, a bit hard to get used to in that the English translation that followed disrupted the flow but after a while it became almost second nature to read. Perhaps a good way to get us thinking in a more bicultural mindset? I learnt a lot more interesting kupu Māori because of Soutar’s persistence with it. Also, the use of whakataukī at the start of each chapter to capture the sentiment of the chapter was a lovely touch.
I liked that many facets of tikanga Māori were woven throughout the narrative and explained. It made Māori culture appear more accessible to those who may not have much knowledge of it. The more “intriguing” tikanga that’s often sensationalised, like cannibalism or tohunga powers, were grounded as very much part of human nature and custom.
Now for the bad.
The writing style, although it flowed well, was amateurish. You could tell that Soutar had very much done “Creative Writing 101”. The descriptions over-described; the language and metaphors simple and at times cliché. The English dialogue seemed unnaturally formal in structure, almost Shakespearean, with English words used that I don’t think would have been in existence. Where’s the slang, bro?
Also, most of the narrative was highly predictable. Arguably, I think the last third of the novel was the most interesting and Soutar could’ve explored the emotional bandwidth and complexity of some of the more minor characters that were introduced.
Yikes: the ugly.
I can’t help but think this is a vanity project for Soutar. Knowing Soutar as first and foremost an excellent historian, I picked up elements of historian-esque snobbery and ego coming through. His afterword confirmed this for me. Yes, a novel like this needs to exist, but was it for Soutar to write? Everyone has an ego, especially writers, but this must be balanced with humility. He wanted to write the great NZ historical novel. I’d say he succeeded in the historical elements but not the fictional elements. You need both in order to fully claim that title. With two more books to come in the trilogy, he still has a lot to live up to.
March 16, 2023
Our pukapuka for March's rōpū pukupuka evoked some strong responses which I'm very much here for. What follows is an attempt to summarise our kōrero.
🪶
Shortlisted for this year's Ockham, this is receiving its fair share of praise. I feel justified focusing on the criticism.
•
We're glad Kāwai exists. How is it possible no one has really written a novel about pre-colonial NZ. I liked how Soutar built that time through the prevalence of spells, omens, tohunga. The reader aclimatised to the society, so much so that the canibalism, utu etc. seemed pretty natural. Soutar trod the fine line between glorifying and downplaying these.
•
@sammyburnard pointed out the use of te reo Māori was excellent, accessibly and sensitively done.
•
@anniebroughty saw a missed opportunity in the pretty conventionally drawn gender roles. Monty Soutar (great name btw) could have included some genuine wāhine toa, strong women leaders, as mana wāhine hearings demonstrate existed. That would've been an interesting counterpoint to cannibalism re the progressiveness of pre-colonial Māori society.
•
@catrionabritton didn't rate the writing style highly at all (seconded). A weird mix of Shakespearean and quasi-scientific writing (with some pretty unforgivable sex writing). Is a baseball swing the best way to describe an 18th-century NZ combat move? Also, short sentences don't have to mean boring sentences. She also thought the characters' emotional register was pretty minimal. Soutar tried to spark interest with narrative (which I felt was meandering) when he should have done it through character development. But is that criticism from a largely individualistic worldview, when 1700s NZ was collectivist? Either way, we didn't think it worked as modern fiction.
•
Ultimately, it showed that Soutar is a historian who did a few months of creative writing training. As Matt said, it's an awesome project and valuable for school curricula. But it's neither 'unputdownable' nor 'the great NZ novel' that the author somewhat immodestly claims.
.
.
.
He aha ou whakaaro?
#kawai #montysoutar @readnz @wcl_library #bookclub #igreads #booktok #bookrecommendation #bookreview #novel #fiction
🪶
Shortlisted for this year's Ockham, this is receiving its fair share of praise. I feel justified focusing on the criticism.
•
We're glad Kāwai exists. How is it possible no one has really written a novel about pre-colonial NZ. I liked how Soutar built that time through the prevalence of spells, omens, tohunga. The reader aclimatised to the society, so much so that the canibalism, utu etc. seemed pretty natural. Soutar trod the fine line between glorifying and downplaying these.
•
@sammyburnard pointed out the use of te reo Māori was excellent, accessibly and sensitively done.
•
@anniebroughty saw a missed opportunity in the pretty conventionally drawn gender roles. Monty Soutar (great name btw) could have included some genuine wāhine toa, strong women leaders, as mana wāhine hearings demonstrate existed. That would've been an interesting counterpoint to cannibalism re the progressiveness of pre-colonial Māori society.
•
@catrionabritton didn't rate the writing style highly at all (seconded). A weird mix of Shakespearean and quasi-scientific writing (with some pretty unforgivable sex writing). Is a baseball swing the best way to describe an 18th-century NZ combat move? Also, short sentences don't have to mean boring sentences. She also thought the characters' emotional register was pretty minimal. Soutar tried to spark interest with narrative (which I felt was meandering) when he should have done it through character development. But is that criticism from a largely individualistic worldview, when 1700s NZ was collectivist? Either way, we didn't think it worked as modern fiction.
•
Ultimately, it showed that Soutar is a historian who did a few months of creative writing training. As Matt said, it's an awesome project and valuable for school curricula. But it's neither 'unputdownable' nor 'the great NZ novel' that the author somewhat immodestly claims.
.
.
.
He aha ou whakaaro?
#kawai #montysoutar @readnz @wcl_library #bookclub #igreads #booktok #bookrecommendation #bookreview #novel #fiction
August 22, 2025
I think this successfully executes the proposition that if you want history to be more widely accessible fiction often goes down a lot easier. For me this filled in a lot of detail about the Māori way of life prior to European contact, which I probably wouldn’t have run across in such a digestible format anywhere else
June 12, 2024
Totally disagree with Catriona, I found the story gripping . The text and style were both appropriate to the content and in my opinion Monty Soutar has written a reader friendly novel so that it is accessible to many. I eagerly await the next . I don’t sense an ego in this book but a desire to fill a huge gap , let this be the inspiration for other future writers to contribute to NZ pre- colonial historical fiction.
May 13, 2023
An excellent piece of historical fiction writing. The transition from English to more and more te reo Maori is seamless. The characters are brilliantly described and the story a wonderful read overall.
January 5, 2024
A brilliant idea and will make for a solid series, but Dr Soutar does write like an academic. Reads less like a fictional narrative more like a thesis on Māori culture in the late 18th century. Dragged … a lot … in places.
April 30, 2024
Two things can be true - New Zealand needs more books like this and this book wasn’t necessarily written very well for the style it was trying to achieve
January 27, 2024
Such a treat to read a book set in pre colonial Aotearoa and appreciated it being written by a highly regarded historian in terms of learning about life in those times. Loved the whakatauki throughout the book. Think there was an opportunity to expand more on family life and that of the female characters such as Kiri, Opu and particularly Wairere as people in their own right rather than just sexual partners and mothers.
Read
July 24, 2023It took me a while to get into this but once I was in, I was in! Gripping historical novel, from pre Colonial life. Brought Roots to mind, and Soutar references it in his notes. Interesting insights into traditional way of life and tikanga.
March 2, 2025
This was epic. It was interesting? but I found it difficult to connect with in some ways.
December 21, 2022
Loved it, can’t wait for the next one in the series
June 4, 2023
3.5 stars?
I want to give this more bc it's such a shame that Aotearoa doesn't have any pre-colonial narratives in our literature. The knowledge of the histories and tikanga is fantastic, but the narrative writing is average. This will land with people who have a love of history but I feel like the emotional depth and complexity of the characters could have been explored more.
I want to give this more bc it's such a shame that Aotearoa doesn't have any pre-colonial narratives in our literature. The knowledge of the histories and tikanga is fantastic, but the narrative writing is average. This will land with people who have a love of history but I feel like the emotional depth and complexity of the characters could have been explored more.
August 14, 2023
This is mint. I have been told this was written in such a way that it could be turned into movie further down the track. It would make an awesome movie and I hope this Happens.
It is very informative, but still really engaging.
Couldn’t put it down, read it in a week.
It is very informative, but still really engaging.
Couldn’t put it down, read it in a week.
July 8, 2023
This was such a remarkable way to absorb Māori history and to see the concepts you learn about as facts be illustrated through fiction.
August 3, 2024
This was a very interesting historical novel set in Aotearoa New Zealand prior to European settlement. I learnt a lot about stone-age Māori culture and it was refreshing to see the taboo topic of cannibalism dealt with openly and honestly. It was also enlightening to learn about their methods of trapping and cultivating food, herbal medicines, spirituality, relationships, tribal and social structures, and the continuous raids and battles between hapū and iwi. The latter reminded me a lot of Scottish clans.
The people in the book have their first very brief encounters with Cook's sailors and his Tahitian navigator Tupaea in a foreshadowing of what is to come, and you realise how cataclysmically their society and culture is going to be overturned.
The story itself is well-written with a strong cast of characters and a good connection between the past and the present. The author says this is the first book in a planned series and I look forward to reading the rest.
The people in the book have their first very brief encounters with Cook's sailors and his Tahitian navigator Tupaea in a foreshadowing of what is to come, and you realise how cataclysmically their society and culture is going to be overturned.
The story itself is well-written with a strong cast of characters and a good connection between the past and the present. The author says this is the first book in a planned series and I look forward to reading the rest.
December 6, 2024
This was the most raw and fearsome depiction of Maori warriors that I’ve been exposed to. It was a challenging read and made me feel sick sometimes (especially the scenes with cannibalism) but I really enjoyed thinking about Maori culture in a less romanticised and potentially more realistic way. Maori warriors were bad ass and the role of utu in society was huge. Imagine being born for the sole purpose of carrying out revenge by way of killing someone? Finally I’ve really enjoyed pondering the importance of elders sharing oral history in reading this. We need to respect and listen to our old people more.
April 12, 2025
I had several people strongly recommend this book to me. Like other reviewers whose reviews I have subsequently read, I wanted to like it. The historical research that has gone into it is incredible. And it is certainly the type of novel NZ is missing. But the writing is just average. The dialogue, in particular, is quite clunky at times. About two thirds throughout the book the plot starts to meander without much purpose.
The biggest hindrance for me, personally, is that the characters' morals and ethics are so far detached from my own that I could only feel disturbed by them rather than any empathy or emotional connection. The author is well aware of that though. He is describing what pre-European society looked like governed solely by tikanga and utu. He knows and acknowledges that it is disturbing to modern ethics. He is a good writer but not a good enough writer to get me to feel a human connection to his characters who act (to my eyes) so inhumanely.
The biggest hindrance for me, personally, is that the characters' morals and ethics are so far detached from my own that I could only feel disturbed by them rather than any empathy or emotional connection. The author is well aware of that though. He is describing what pre-European society looked like governed solely by tikanga and utu. He knows and acknowledges that it is disturbing to modern ethics. He is a good writer but not a good enough writer to get me to feel a human connection to his characters who act (to my eyes) so inhumanely.
January 4, 2024
The plot, characters, and setting are very compelling. The writing is not.
The author doesn't get in his own way and try to be a fancier author than he is, which is to his credit. The prose is simple and let's the weight of the story propel it forward, rather than any insightful words.
3.5 stars. An interesting look into NZ history, and as it's a series I'll keep a lazy eye out for the next book.
The author doesn't get in his own way and try to be a fancier author than he is, which is to his credit. The prose is simple and let's the weight of the story propel it forward, rather than any insightful words.
3.5 stars. An interesting look into NZ history, and as it's a series I'll keep a lazy eye out for the next book.
September 13, 2024
Pre colonial Nz, this book was so fascinating, and I was pretty hooked.
I listened to the audiobook and I think for me that made it 5⭐️ rather than 4⭐️, as the book says all stories were passed along through telling back then and it was a great way to consume this book. Although I have a hard copy now and have flicked through and re read parts that stuck with me.
It was gory at times but real to the era.
Looking forward to the next one
I listened to the audiobook and I think for me that made it 5⭐️ rather than 4⭐️, as the book says all stories were passed along through telling back then and it was a great way to consume this book. Although I have a hard copy now and have flicked through and re read parts that stuck with me.
It was gory at times but real to the era.
Looking forward to the next one
April 10, 2025
I can only comment on the audio version but I found this to be an enjoyable and immersive epic.
I love historical fiction and there is a great need for pukapuka like these that can connect readers to te ao i mua and I really enjoyed the integration of reo, tikanga and hītori, although agree this can be clunky at times.
tōku whakaaro noa iho, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
I love historical fiction and there is a great need for pukapuka like these that can connect readers to te ao i mua and I really enjoyed the integration of reo, tikanga and hītori, although agree this can be clunky at times.
tōku whakaaro noa iho, but I think the positives outweigh the negatives, and I’m looking forward to seeing where this series goes.
January 14, 2024
Wow! Following Kai through his journey was awesome… this book is so well written you feel immersed in the adventure of the young Māori chief every step of the way. You will learn so much about the culture of pre-colonised Aotearoa and pick up on some new words like I did haha… 5/5 best ever.
May 2, 2025
I’m pleased I read this book, and intend on reading the second one. I found it interesting (and gruesome in parts). I did however struggle with the writing, quite disconnected in parts. Nevertheless, I would recommend.
December 3, 2022
Awesome nz fiction. I thought the author did a really good job of describing pre colonial life in Aotearoa.
November 19, 2023
Im so proud to be Māori. Our tīpuna are beautiful
January 14, 2024
Ehara taku toa i te takitahi, he toa takitini!
January 9, 2025
I'm glad this book exists and have nothing but respect for the author's commitment to as much authenticity as possible, even if it meant unearthing some practices others would shy away from sharing.
March 16, 2025
This one will sit with me for a while.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 163 reviews