Aotearoa begins with a story of the Tangata Whenua, as an old Maori woman speaks strongly of the birthright of Maori people, of their sense of belonging to the land. The past and the future of Maori and Pakeha in this land are themes which recur in the poems and stories of this book. There are experiences of young people in the city and country communities; there are stories of women and men who have faced tremendous challenges on the athletic track, alone at sea, in the mountains or in social and political struggle.Aotearoa contains poems, short stories, articles from novels and biographies from writing in New Zealand which illustrate ways in which writers have explored the New Zealand identity.

Maori, Pakeha