Matuhi I Needle

by Hinemoana Baker, Jenny Rendall (Contributor)

Many worlds converge in the poetry of Hinemoana Baker, most obviously her parents' Maori and Pakeha ancestries. Matuhi | Needle explores the conflict between the need to belong and the desire to remain an individual. Cultural concepts in the Maori world are given new life through Baker's recovery of "Te Reo" — the voice. There are poems of praise, love, and gratitude. Others are inscribed with the surly and the sordid, or admit to feelings of inadequacy and avoidance. Co published with Victoria University Press, Matuhi | Needle offers a fresh perspective on native New Zealand cultures. The book includes a CD with seven tracks, six poems, and one song.

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 2004

Reviews

[Tama]

Yes, Auntie! Robbie Williams dig. Calling Robbie Williams “egg” in print! Dialogue as poetry. ‘He Kaputī.’

‘Tangihanga’ is evocative, Māori youth experience on the marae. The ones who aren’t a little confused on the proceedings are so special—I was not one of those. Lost children running around the marae. I loved to just play tag or look at crabs and eat a sausage while uncles drunk beer, one of them getting scarily drunk in countenance, but then we all sleep in the whare, and I might sleep walk to the toilet. Āe, what a feeling.

‘Rangiātea’ is a love poem perhaps for a friend. But it is so romantic. The subtext of what this other person does for you. To ask you to do something odd for a photo but they’ve lined it up so that it’s a photo where you hold the moon. And because it’s a poem it’s the most perfect moon-holding image ever, filled with joy, and the hand makes as perfect a circle as the moon.

[Ariana Tikao · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful to revisit Matuhi Needle as one of the first books I’ve read this year. I’ve always loved the poem about learning to dive with your father, and the kaputī kōrero. I liked the eclectic nature of this first book by Hinemoana, the nice hardback and quality design and gorgeous paintings by Jenny Rendall. Ka mau te wehi!

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aujourd’hui je suis vivante pour te rencontrer.

[Simon Sweetman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some nice poems here, some very interesting ones too - clash of cultures, and a combination of music and poetry here in a sense, the book feeling as much like an album as a poetry volume.