Fire in the Belly of Hineamaru : A Collection of Narratives about Te Tai Tokerau Tupuna

‘E kore e monehunehu te pumahara ki nga momo rangatira o nehera na ratou nei i toro te nukuroa o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa me Papa Tu a Nuku. Ko nga tohu o o ratou tapuwae i kakahutia ki runga i te mata o te whenua – he taonga, he tapu. Time will not dim the memory of the special class of rangatira of the past who braved the wide expanse of ocean and land. Their sacred footprints are scattered over the surface of the land, treasured and sacred.’ — Sir James Henare

From peacemakers and strategists to explorers and entrepreneurs, the tupuna of the North are an inspiration to the people of Te Tai Tokerau. This remarkable book by Melinda Webber and Te Kapua O’Connor introduces a new generation to twenty-four of those tupuna – Nukutawhiti and Hineamaru, Hongi Hika and Te Ruki Kawiti, and many more. Through whakapapa and korero, waiata and pepeha, we learn about their actions, their places, their values, and their aspirations.

Published in both a te reo Maori edition translated by Quinton Hita and an English-language edition, and featuring original cover art by Shane Cotton, A Fire in the Belly of Hineamaru is a call to action for Te Tai Tokerau today – a reminder to celebrate the unbroken connection to histories, lands, and esteemed ancestors.