by Māmari Stephens. Published by Bridget Williams Books, 2022. (NZD 14.99). Reviewed by Anton Spelman

In Kārearea, Māmari Stephens presents excerpts from her blog written between 2016-2020. Māmari (Te Rarawa) tells a number of stories, important for our time, in a manner that emphasises a quality of hope that she attributes to her Christian commitment and nourishment within the Anglican Church.

Māmari writes about Māori identity in a very personal and practical way, preferring to emphasise the nature of culture as learnt behaviour rather than something that is somehow embedded in our DNA.

She engages complex issues with freshness, and her perspective is always through the eyes and life experience of people.

In “The Waiting Place”, Stephens' memories and experiences of those who have died are captured in an evocative description of the hinterland between death and life. In “Teaching and Learning”, Māmari discusses reconciliation via the famous story about the death, in 1836, of Tarore, a young Ngāti Hauā girl and the eventual forgiveness by her father Ngakuku of her killer Uita, from Ngāti Whakaue.

Arguably, while more could have been said about “Why is God and sexuality so bloody difficult”, overall Kārearea is a fine leadership contribution to developing a better understanding of a Māori worldview today.

Tui Motu Magazine. Issue 272 July 2022: 27