Manawa Hine: Women Who Swam Against the Tide

Manawa Hine: He wāhine e tohe ki te tai – Women who swam against the tide

Text by Kuini Rikihana

Illustrations by Sarah Wairau

Translated by Hēni Jacob

From Kuini Rikihana, author of Illustrated Māori Myths and Legends, comes Manawa Hine, a collection of adventure-packed stories celebrating the feats of fearless Māori women within the domain of Hinemoana. Kahe Te Rau o te Rangi swims a treacherous channel in the dark of night to save her people, with her baby on her back. Hinepoupou, left for dead by her abusive husband, sets out on a long-distance swim home accompanied by her dolphin ancestors and fuelled by thoughts of revenge. Hūria Mātenga battles through raging seas to rescue sailors from a sinking ship. Pānia of the Moana turns the tables on her husband, refusing to let him control her. Through Kuini Rikihana's creative re-telling of these women's stories, we learn what is possible with a healthy measure of self-belief and the unwavering conviction that we are never acting alone.



Koia tēnei, ko Manawa Hine, te hua o te ringa auaha o Kuini Rikihana, kaituhi o te Illustrated Māori Myths and Legends. He paki mātātoa e whakatairanga ana i ngā mahi whakahirahira a ētehi wāhine Māori aumangea i te ao o Hinemoana. Arā a Kahe Te Rau o te Rangi, ka kauria e ia te au kino i te pō hei whakaora i tōna iwi, ko tana kōhungahunga tonu tana pīkau i a ia e kauhoe ana. Ko Hinepoupou ia, ka whakarērea atu ki te mate e tana tāne kino, engari ka kauhoe roa anō ko ia ki tōna kāinga i tawhiti, he tūpuna aihe ana hoa haere, me tana mānakonako anō ki te kimi utu mō te hē o tana tāne. Tērā hoki a Hūria Mātenga ka kākari nui ki te wai pūkerikeri ki te whakaora kaumoana i te waka kua pāea. Ā, ko tā Pānia, te kōhine i kaimomotu ki te moana, he tūkaha atu ki tana tāne, he ātete atu i āna mahi tūkino. Rā roto mai i tā Kuini Rikihana, tāna taki auaha i ngā paki o ngā wāhine nei, ka kite ai koe i ngā mea whakahirahira ka taea, ki te whakapono koe ki a koe anō, ki te whakapono anō koe ko ō tūpuna, ko ō atua kei te ārahi, kei te tiaki i a koe.