Book Review: Hine Toa

Hine Toa
by Ngahuia Te Awekotuku
Review by Maia

Since childhood with her kuia on the Pa – spent in catholic schools and the natural springs of Rotorua, Ngahuia Te Awekotuku has always been known as Miss Mohio (know-it-all). Her indomitable search for answers and insatiable curiosity makes the story of her life enchanting, impressive, often harrowing and full of mischief. 

This story travels through the brazen & alive activist scene in 1970’s Auckland, as Te Awekotuku finds herself tumbling through various movements with frantic determination. Fascinating personal retellings of formative political moments reveal to us the interpersonal complications and preparations involved in the Land March of 1975, Women’s Liberation 1971 Centennial Parade, Aotearoa’s first pride – ‘Gay Day’ in 1972 and the development of Ngā Tamatoa and their alliance with the Polynesian Panthers. Te Awekotuku played a critical role in these synergetic movements and because of this commitment to an array of communities this story is full of anecdotes connecting plenty of familiar NZ names such as Hone Tuwhare, Witi Ihimaera, Tāme Iti, Marlyn Webb and a peeping tom James K Baxter (that part was wild lol).

The writing is so courageously honest and moving while sneakily feeding you an NZ history lesson through a series of personal relationships and intimate experiences. I couldn’t recommend this book enough!