Redemption Songs

Book excerpt: A long-awaited digital edition of a book that has remained in steady demand since publication in 1995. Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki was one of the nineteenth century’s most significant leaders. In both war and peace, he sought to redeem his people and the land. Yet his reputation as a feared opponent of colonial forces obscured his achievements for generations. The causes of Te Kooti’s struggles are larger than personal injustice: he fought a war against land confiscation and illegal land purchases. This award-winning biography, published in 1995, shifted public perceptions of this remarkable man. Dame Judith Binney was honoured widely for her contribution to New Zealand history. Her particular place in the writing of Urewera history was recognised by Tūhoe leaders when she was given the name Te Tomairangi o Te Aroha. A Fellow of the Royal Society, she received the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement in Non-Fiction in 2006.