Tangi

novel by Ihimaera

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July 21, 2026

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Tangi is a novel by Witi Ihimaera, published in 1973. It holds significance as the first novel written in English by a Māori author. The term "tangi" itself refers to a Māori funeral rite, often accompanied by a lament or dirge. Ihimaera's work frequently explores the intersection of traditional Māori cultural values with those of the Pākehā (white, European-derived) society in New Zealand.12

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Witi Ihimaera
His Tangi (1973; “Mourning”) is the first novel in English by a Māori author. The novel Whanau (1974; “Family”) presents a day in the life of a Māori village. The Matriarch (1986) and its sequel, The Dream Swimmer (1997), investigate the ramifications of European colonization of…
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His Tangi (1973; “Mourning”) is the first novel in English by a Māori author. The novel Whanau (1974; “Family”) presents a day in the life of a Māori village. The Matriarch (1986) and its sequel, The Dream Swimmer (1997), investigate the ramifications of European colonization of…
Read More