Farewell, Anahera
Published March 2023 by Duck Creek Press. Illustrated by Scott Irvine. Translated into te reo Māori by Kanapu Rangitauira.
Farewell, Anahera follows the wairua (spirit) of Anahera as she journeys from her marae to Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga). This northern-most part of Aotearoa holds spiritual significance in Māori culture as it is the place where spirits depart this world to return to their ancestral homeland. There are different traditions – in some, the spirit travels across the sea to Hawaiki, while in others, the spirit descends to Rarohenga, the underworld realm of Hine-nui-te-pō (Goddess of Night and Death) where they are welcomed by her, and their ancestors.
Follow these links to find out more about Hawaiki, Rarohenga , and Hine-nui-te-pō.
If you are lucky enough to visit this beautiful part of Aotearoa at the top of Te Ika o Maui (North Island), you can take a walk out to the famous lighthouse, and see where the Tasman Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. A pohutukawa tree on this headland is held sacred as the gateway to the small rocky islands just off the headland which are the last point of the Te Ara Wairua (the spirit’s pathway) and it is from there that the spirit departs Aotearoa.
Follow these links to more information about Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga) and the pohutukawa.
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Vanessa Hatley-Owen Children's Author 