Rere Atu Taku Poi

Te harikoa hoki o tēnei kaipānui! Inanahi tonu i tū te Kaitātaki Tāne o Te Ahikaaroa ki te mahi poi i te Whakataetae Kapa Haka ā-rohe o Waitaha! Tokomaha tonu ka pōhēhē mā te wahine anake te poi. I ngā wā o neherā i whiu ngā toa i ngā poi hei whakapakari i ngā whatingaringa. Ko te kaupapa o tēnei pukapuka, ko tētahi tama e pīrangi ana te karawhiu te poi. Ahakoa ngā whakahāwea o ngā taitama, ka ako a Rangi i ngā mahi o Hine Rēhia. He pukapuka tēnei hei whakanuia i te tamaiti kia tū māia, ahakoa te whakaiti a ētahi atu. He tino kaupapa tēnei mō tēnei wā!

He pukuapuka reorua tēnei. Nā Tangaroa Paul ngā reo e rua. He rawe ki te kite i ngā kupu reo Māori, reo Pākehā anō hoki i te whārangi kotahi. He tino āwhina tēnei ki ngā kaipānui e ako tonu ana i te reo rangatira. He ātaahua hoki ngā pikitia whakaari nā Rebecca Paul.

Kei ia tamaiti, kei ia tamaiti tōna ake pūkenga, tōna ake pūmanawa. Mā te tū māia o te kiripuaki a Rangi, ka tū rangatira te kapa. He rawe tēnei akoranga mā tatou katoa!


This reviewer is very happy! Only yesterday I watched the Kaitātaki Tāne of Te Ahikaaroa performing long double poi at the Waitaha Regional Kapa Haka Competition. There are still many who think that poi are only for female performers. Yet poi were originally developed by warriors to strengthen their wrists. This book is about a boy who wants to perform poi. Despite the putdowns of the boys, Rangi learns to perform the poi. This book celebrates a child who stands confidently despite the disparaging remarks of others. This is a very timely book!

This book is dual language. Tangaroa Paul has written the words in both te reo Māori and English. It is great to see both languages appearing on the same page. This will be a huge help to readers who are still learning te reo Māori. The illustrations by Rebecca Paul are beautiful as well.

Every child has his or her own skills and his or her own talents. When Rangi’s character confidently fills an unexpected vacancy, the entire kapa are able to take the stage and shine. This book has a lot to say about self-belief and diversity which we should all celebrate!