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Kawai : Tree of Nourishment

Set in 1818 on the East Coast of Te Ika-a-Maui, Kawai: Tree of Nourishment is a powerful historical novel that plunges readers into a moment of immense upheaval for Maori society. Hine-aute, granddaughter of the legendary warrior Kaitanga, is fleeing through the bush with a precious yet gruesome memento carried in her fishing net—an act that sets in motion a gripping and unforgettable story.

As Europeans arrive, they bring muskets, foreign diseases, and a new religion that challenges long-held beliefs. Hine and her sons, Ipumare and Uha, find themselves caught in the crosscurrents of change, where violence, fear, and uncertainty fracture family bonds and threaten everything they hold dear.

From musket raids and escalating intertribal warfare to the arrival of whalers, traders, Christian missionaries, and ultimately the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Kawai: Tree of Nourishment strikes deep into the heart of the early colonial impact on Maori. It is a vivid, unsettling, and deeply moving portrayal of a people navigating survival, belief, and identity at a turning point in history.

Key Features:

• Sweeping historical novel set during early European contact in Aotearoa

• Explores the impact of muskets, disease, Christianity, and colonisation on Maori

• Strong focus on whanau, belief systems, and cultural transformation

• Written by an acclaimed Maori historian and storyteller

Product Details:

• Author: Monty Soutar

• Format: Paperback / Softcover

• ISBN: 9781776890729

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