by Alison Jones. Published by Bridget Williams Books, 2020. Reviewed by Julie Randall

Alison Jones, Professor in Te Puna Wānanaga, the School of Māori and Indigenous Education at Auckland University, has spent her lifetime’s research on New Zealand education. She was honoured with being made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2019.

It was clear from the first half of this book that Alison’s imagination and curiosity would lead her to more than a “settled” existence. Her memories of early life, growing up in the 50s, 60s and turbulent 70s in Auckland, will strike familiar notes with other Kiwis who have travelled through the same era.

In the second half of the book, she recounts distinct moments that move her towards a more comprehensive understanding of te ao Māori and the complexities of the relationship between Māori and Pākehā. During a year-long immersion in te reo Māori at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa she began to appreciate how “language carries culture” and how “the language reflects profound relationality”. It is through her close friendships that Alison deeply appreciates being Pākehā in a uniquely relational sense.

Everyone in Aotearoa will find Alison’s story compelling. In Alison’s words: “I have written this book for Pākehā — and other New Zealanders — curious about their sense of identity and about the ambivalence we Pākehā often experience in our relationships with Māori”.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 257 March 2021: 27