Pounamu Pounamu

Classic Ihimaera. First published by Reed in 1972, it collects stories about Maori within settings that are Maori and with characters who are central to that setting — heroes, heroines and villains — rather than supporting players or sidekicks. These stories introduce the themes of aroha, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga — love, acknowledging kin and tribal relationships, and supporting Maori identity — that run through much of Ihimaera’s later work. This new edition of Pounamu Pounamu includes two stories that have been rewritten for IHIMAERA His Best Stories (Reed 2003), and an explanation by Ihimaera of the reasons for this rewriting.