Native Son: The writer’s memoir, Witi Ihimaera (2019)
Behind the literary success of Aotearoa’s first Māori novelist, Witi Ihimaera, there is another narrative – the story of a native son struggling to find a place, a voice and an identity, and to put a secret past to rest. A powerful sequel to his award-winning first memoir, Maori Boy (2014).
Publication details
W. Ihimaera. Auckland: RHNZ Vintage, 2019.
About the book
This is the second volume of memoir by this remarkable Maori writer and of the living myths that inspired him at the beginning of his career. This sequel to his award-winning memoir picks up where Maori Boy stopped, following Witi through his triumphs and failures at school and university, to experimenting sexually, searching for love and purpose and to becoming our first Maori novelist.
Further information
This book is part of the series marking the publication of Books of Mana (Otago University Press, 2025). It builds on the project Te Takarangi: Celebrating Māori publications and adds 30 titles to a selected list of 150 non-fiction books, led by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga in collaboration with Royal Society Te Apārangi.