The Last Living Cannibal
By Airana Ngarewa
Review by Jo
Through the life (and afterlife) of a Taranaki elder, Koko, Ngarewa explores the history of colonization for Taranaki and Waikato iwi. He shows how that experience continues to shape the lives of descendants at other key moments in history – in this case, during WWII, when a group of Taranaki Māori refused to join the Māori battalion. Koko’s voice has so much dry humour and warmth and it was the strength of his perspective that made the novel so absorbing for me. The culture of the marae is also evoked strongly, especially the differing roles held by men and women. I would recommend this novel to anyone seeking deeper insight into Aotearoa’s history and I look forward to reading what Ngarewa writes next.
