Tangi
Ihimaera, Witi
This is the story of a young Māori man, Tama, returning to his home marae after the death of his beloved father. Set over the three days of the tangi, this haunting study of grief and mortality weaves together two storylines, Tama’s past and present, illuminating the tension between the Māori and Pākehā worlds and urban and rural Māori.
Revised for the 50th anniversary of its release in 1973, this novel, the first to be published by a Māori author, continues to be a significant story of New Zealand literature.
Comments from BDS Reviewers
"The language! Wonderfully crafted."
"It has been a pleasure to revisit the writer's original story and to see it in an enhanced lyricism and maturity as a novel."
"Hauntingly beautiful study of grief and continuation of living."
"A strong sense of place. The book deals with Māori cultural beliefs and practices in a way quite easily understood by all readers."
"As ever, the writer paints the world a beautiful place with words."
251
2023