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Ihimaera, Witi, 1944-

Sleeps standing : a story of the Battle of Orākau / Witi Ihimaera ; with Hēmi Kelly. - Auckland RHNZ Vintage 2017. - 224 p 203 x 140mm

National Library of New Zealand Cataloguing in Publication (CiP) record.

Both fiction and fact, this fascinating book is a kaleidoscopic exploration of the Battle of Orakau. During three days in 1864, 300 Maori men, women and children fought an Imperial army and captured the imagination of the world. The battle marked the end of the Land Wars in the Waikato and resulted in vast tracts of land being confiscated for European settlement. Instead of following the usual standpoint of the victors, this book takes a Maori perspective. It is centred around Witi Ihimaera's moving novella, Sleeps Standing, which views the battle through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Moetu. Alongside the novella are non-fiction narratives from Maori eyewitnesses, together with waiata, images and a Maori translation by Hemi Kelly, further giving voice to and illuminating the people who tried to protect their culture and land. It is estimated that, at the height of the battle, 1700 immensely superior troops, well-armed and amply resourced, laid siege to the hastily constructed pa at Orakau. The defenders were heavily outnumbered with few supplies or weapons but, when told to submit, they replied- 'E hoa, ka whawhai tonu matou, ake, ake, ake!' 'Friend, I shall fight against you for ever, for ever!'

ISBN: 9780143771111 0143771116

Source: Penguin Random House New Zealand

Subjects--Topical Terms:
Ōrākau, Battle of, N.Z., 1864--Fiction.
Maori (New Zealand people)--History--New Zealand--Waikato--19th century--Fiction.
Ngāti Maniapoto (New Zealand people)--History--19th century--Fiction.
Pakiwaitara.
Reorua.
Ngā Pakanga Whenua o Mua.
Kōrero nehe.

Index Terms--Genre/Form:
Historical fiction.
New Zealand fiction--21st century.--21st century.

Dewey Class. No.: NZ823.2