Purakau

- Blurb -

A lively, stimulating and engaging retelling of purakau - Maori myths - by contemporary Maori writers. Ka mua, ka muri . . .Ancient Maori creation myths, portrayals of larger-than-life heroes and tales of engrossing magical beings have endured through the ages. Some hail back to Hawaiki, some are firmly grounded in New Zealand and its landscape. Through countless generations, the stories have been reshaped and passed on. This new collection presents a wide range of traditional myths that have been retold by some of our best Maori wordsmiths. The writers have added their own creativity, perspectives and sometimes wonderfully unexpected twists, bringing new life and energy to these rich, spellbinding and significant taonga.Take a fresh look at Papatuanuku, a wild ride with Maui, a creepy encounter with Ruruhi-Kerepo, for these and many more mythical figures await you.Explore the past, from it shape the future . . . Top names are included, old and young, male and female, many significant award winners among them - a great line up of authors, including previously published works by such writers as Patricia Grace, Hone Tuwhare and Keri Hulme and new pieces by Renee, Paula Morris, David Geary, Nic Low, Briar Grace-Smith, Kelly Ana Morey, Hemi Kelly and many others - 20 contributors and over 30 different pieces. Most pieces are short stories, but there are a handful of fabulous poems slipped in to offer little surprises. Some myths are retold straight, but other pieces transport the stories to the present day or far into an imaginary future, they take unexpected twists and interpretations, imaginary leaps, literary virtuosity!