Work of historical fiction from first-time author
Suzanne Clark with her debut novel, Awhina’s People. Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
A work of historical fiction that tells the moving story of a Māori woman and her family in pre-European New Zealand could be considered ambitious writing territory for a first-time author.
But retired Collingwood Area School teacher Suzanne (Sue) Clark wasn’t put off by the advice of literary agents and went ahead and published her own debut novel, Āwhina’s People, through Copy Press in Nelson. Its launch will be held between 2 – 3pm at the Takaka Memorial Library on Monday 20 June.
The historically imaginative plot has Āwhina, a strong Māori woman, doing her best to protect and nurture her family in a world where the ferocity of the warrior is highly valued. Lives are governed by the seasons; there is time for harvesting, hunting, storytelling and celebration, but there is also time for war. And when conflict arises against another tribe, only the voice of a blind old woman is raised in protest as Āwhina’s people are swept up in a deadly cycle of insult and revenge.
Tight bonds of kinship and the power of the ancestors are called on as Āwhina’s people stand together to defend their hilltop fortress. The setting is not specified. Events, customs, traditions, religious beliefs and other aspects of culture have been researched from the known histories and lifestyles of different tribes from many locations in New Zealand.
It is a work of fiction based on five years of research and two years of fairly intensive writing, with the intention to bring to life the customs and culture of the Māori people some 400 years ago. Essentially though, it’s a Māori story written by a non-Māori New Zealander, and Sue hopes it can be enjoyed by all, regardless of race, creed or culture.
Born in Palmerston North, Sue grew up in Taranaki, where a large proportion of the children in her classes were Māori. “I have always seen around me evidence of the lives of Māori who lived here long ago, and I have often wondered about their everyday lives, in particular the lives of the women of that time. I looked in libraries for a novel set in pre-European New Zealand and I couldn’t find any, so I decided to research Māori history and culture and write one myself.
“I used to enjoy James Michener books because they informed as well as entertained, and that’s what I’ve tried to achieve here.”
During a year-long study leave from teaching in 2000, she enjoyed the learning and writing process, particularly in the subjects of sociology and anthropology, and earned herself a Bachelor’s degree in Teaching and Learning. It also gave her the motivation to begin writing a novel – an ambition she had as a child.
Āwhina’s People also features a poem by Sue (titled And in the Darkness Eyes of Paua Glow), a sizeable bibliography plus an extensive glossary of Māori words. Anyone is welcome to her book launch at the Takaka library (2-3pm) on 20 June, after which the book will be available from Take Note in Takaka at $39.95, and from the author in Collingwood.
Gerard Hindmarsh
