Many years ago, before any pakeha had stepped onto Aotearoa shores, there lived a woman called Kahurangi. She was a leader of her people. Kahurangi had a spirit bird called Awatea. It was a wise and white tui.

Kahurangi and her people grew gardens in Papatuanuku and fished from the sea of Tangaroa, living and learning their tikanga that had been passed down for generations. When Kahurangi grew old, she became a kuia on their marae and when she died iwi came from far and wide. The white tui Awatea led Kahurangi back to the spirit world then disappeared.

The whare was too small and old for the tangi, so another was built to honour Kahurangi. It was built with love and respect for their kuia Kahurangi and when it was finally finished it was magnificent. Years went by and many generations lived together around their whare.

When strangers came to Aotearoa with their white skin, strange clothes, and guns, many Maori died. Wars were fought over the land and Aotearoa was renamed New Zealand.

Another leap in time and a young boy called Jericho wakes in the back seat of his car. He looks up to see a white tui calling in the early morning light. When he follows it, he discovers a long forgotten whare – a place he brings his family and other homeless out of the cold and into a better life ahead.

The Standing Strong House is not just a beautiful story, it has much information about a way of life left behind. A white tui spirit bird is a thread through generations of iwi and time showing Aotearoa before pakeha and the New Zealand of now.

A whare built in honour of a wise and much loved and respected kuia stands the test of time and generations later becomes a haven and home for more who need it.

This story is bilingual with both English and te reo telling the story on each page. A glossary of Maori words is an invaluable resource, not just in learning te reo, but to aid the reader in understanding and appreciating The Standing Strong House even further. A wonderful tool for schools.

Author – Reina Kahukiwa

Illustrator – Robyn Kahukiwa

Age – 7+

(Maori, Te reo, Bilingual, NZ, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Whare, Iwi, History, Historical)