An incredible memoir by a trailblazing voice in women’s, queer and Māori liberation, Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku’s memoir titled “Hine Toa” is about a young girl who was fostered by a family that valued hard work and community.
Despite her close relationship with her grandmother, Ngāhuia longed for higher education and a refined lifestyle, but her family dismissed her aspirations and viewed her as a show-off who got into trouble and ran away.
In her memoir, Ngāhuia recounts her coming-of-age story about her identity and sense of belonging. After moving to Auckland for university, she became a founding member of Ngā Tamatoa and the Women’s and Gay Liberation movements, advocating resistance and becoming a critical voice in protests from Waitangi to the streets of Wellington.
The memoir alternates between the beauty and violence of the 1950s, 60s, and 70s, weaving personal and political narratives together. It is about a resilient and fierce young girl who grew up with the odds stacked against her but had the courage and determination to forge her own path.
Although Ngāhuia initially recorded many of her teenage adventures as short fiction, disguised enough to keep her identity secret, she wrote her memoir to inspire other young Māori, Pasifika, and Indigenous girls facing similar struggles.
She hopes that her book will also help others outside of her world to understand and appreciate the experiences of Māori, queer, native women, survivors, and fighters.
Hine Toa releases on the 13th of April.
