www.ketebooks.co.nz, review by Jade Kake "He māmā te reo, heoi anō he hōhonu te kōrero. The book is an easy read. Although the topics can be challenging at times, the storytelling is captivating, and the language used is accessible and heartfelt. Whilst organised by themes, the story is presented in largely chronological order. Kua noho a Iti i te ao pāpāho, i te whaitua tūmatanui, i te nuinga o tōna oranga pakeke. Iti’s life, which for most of his adulthood has been sketched out broadly in the media and exist in the public domain, gains a new urgency and freshness when presented first-hand, in his characteristically frank and unpretentious way of storytelling."
Iconic Māori activist, artist, and performer Tāme Iti shares his extraordinary life, defined by resistance, resilience, and rangatiratanga.
Mana. It's a big word. But what is it? Are you born with it, can you earn it, can it be taken away?
For more than five decades, Tāme Iti has stood at the heart of Aotearoa's struggle for indigenous rights. From land marches to performance art, police raids to prison cells, his voice has challenged New Zealand to reckon with its colonial legacy. Once branded as a dangerous and extreme activist, now hailed as a national treasure, Tāme has lived the contradictions and realities of standing with mana motuhake in a modern world.
After being silenced from speaking te reo Māori as a child, Tāme went on to champion its revitalisation. He discovered the power of protest and what it means to live with mana in a world that often tries to strip it away.
This is his kōrero of the road he walked and the people who joined him. The comrades, the supporters, and the ones who tried to take him out.
Mana is the story of a man who has never stopped challenging the status quo. It cements Tāme's place as one of Aotearoa's most iconic figures.
Tāme Iti
Hardback, 292 pages
H: 240mm W: 175mm
Weight: 924 grams