Grace depicts the family in ways that remind us of the Maori creation myth, of Rangi and Papa and the time of darkness before the children push them apart and bring in the light.Įach of them have their own stories and their stories had a tendency, James's of the earth, and the universe, Tangimoana's of the sea, Manu, in fear of disappearing could not find his stories. In three parts, the story is narrated by Hemi, his wife Roimata and the son they bring into their family Toko raising him with their three.
In some ways it has already suceeded, through education, as divisions occur within the community and some are enticed by the greed of the capitalist mentality. Potiki is the story of a family and the encroachment on their lives of the now dominant culture that is trying to usurp their way of life. So I reread pages and deliberately took my time, scribbling in the margins, remembering stories and experiences from from schooldays, from participation in marae activities, attendance at the funerals of elders, learning to weave flax, learn poi dances, using sticks (made from rolled up magazines), the legends, the gods, the taniwha. This short novel evoked so many thoughts and memories and dug up so much that has been buried within me, that it was at times difficult to concentrate on the story. The book does not really have a true resolution instead, Patricia Grace outlines the cultural differences that exist in New Zealand, and the uses and abuses of power, and how it can affect a people.īrilliant. She details their successes and many painful failures in a sparse, simple prose. She relates the growing concern the Maori have about developers coming into their land, and their quiet, concerted efforts to rebel. Mostly, though, the story is told by Roimata, Hemi's wife and Toko's adoptive mother. However, he also has a sixth sense and can see events before they occur.
Toko is Hemi's adopted son and is physically handicapped. Sometimes, it is Hemi, a man who was laid off from his job and realizes that this situation affords him the opportunity to reconnect with the land, his culture and his family. A Maori community on the coast of New Zealand is threatened by a land developer who wants to purchase the community property, move the community meeting hall, and construct many new buildings, including an "underwater zoo." The story is told in several chapters that switch narrators.
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