Riwia and the Stargazer

Since he was born, Riwia’s baby brother, Tawa, has been in Auckland Hospital, and his family has come to stay in Auckland. While Riwia goes to school and Dad works as a cook, Mum stays with Tawa. Their Aunty Sue’s house is full, and renting is expensive, so Riwia and her parents live in a van, the Stargazer, in the park. Sometimes it’s scary at night when people shout at them in the park, but the weekend is good when they go to Aunty Sue’s and Dad cooks a boil-up and they all have a shower. But Tawa is getting sicker, and he dies. The family travels back to Te Teko, taking Tawa to the marae for his tangi and burial. Riwia learns about the journey Tawa’s spirit will make to farewell Aotearoa and join the waka of stars that gathers the spirits of the dead. And at Matariki, the family remembers Tawa and gathers to see his spirit burning brightly as a star.

• Linda Tuhiwai Smith, Author

  Dr Linda Tuhiwai Smith (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Tūhourangi) is Distinguished Professor at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. She is a leading indigenous studies scholar, educationalist and kaupapa Māori researcher and has given many addresses and written many publications in these areas. She was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2013 for her services to Māori and education and received a Prime Minister’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Education in 2017. She was awarded the Royal Society of New Zealand Te Puawaitanga Award for Research Excellence in Te Ao Māori and Indigenous Knowledge in 2018, and she received an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Winnipeg Canada in the same year.

• Isobel Joy Te Aho-White, Illustrator

  Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Ngāti Kahungunu, Kai Tahu, UK, Denmark) is an award-winning book illustrator. She is passionate about whānau, whakapapa and tikanga Māori. Izzy lives in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington.