The Hekes are a family in turmoil. A tyrannical, alcoholic, violent patriarch, an alcoholic, ever-trying-to-reform mother, and three degenerate children. Can the draw Maori ritual and tradition pull them back from the brink?



Alan Duff's groundbreaking first novel is one of the most talked about books ever published in New Zealand and now the basis of a major New Zealand film. This hard hitting story is a frank and uncompromising portrayal of Maoris in New Zealand society. It is a raw and powerful story in which everyone is a victim until the strength and vision of one woman transcends brutality and leads the way to a new life.