Story and Pictures by Gavin Bishop
Published by Black Cat Books, Random Century 1990
Reprinted as a NZ Classic by Random House NZ Ltd 2008
ISBN Hardback 1-8694-1202-8
Story with pictures for older children, Page size: 195 x 195 mm,
Level: 8 - 12 years
This story is based on the real life of Katarina (Catherine) McKay, 1842-1935 and has special meaning for the author. Katarina was Gavin Bishop's great-aunt and her brother Banjo was his grandfather.
In the winter of 1861, Katarina, a young Maori woman, leaves her tribal home in the North Island of New Zealand and travels south to join her Scottish husband in the far south of the South Island.
In 1863 Governor Grey begins his assault on the Waikato, Katarina's home, in an attempt to force the Waikato Maori to give up more of their land to European settlers. Katarina's contact with her northern family is gradually lost until her brother Banjo suddenly joins her
“The story of Bishop's great-aunt has fascinated him since he heard as a child of the journey of his Tainui tupuna from the Waikato to Fortrose in Southland...
In this picture book for older children Gavin Bishop beautifully mixes Maori and Pakeha in text and picture... Maori words and concepts fit easily into the English sentence structure, conveying that blend found in the speech of many older Maori, and extending the reader's knowledge too...This book...adds another significant story to our bicultural history.” - Ann Packer, Wellington Evening Post, NZ, January 1991
“Katarina is a story of love, courage and hope...This is a history far more exciting than anything found in a text book.” - Ann Packer, Wellington Evening Post, NZ, January 1991
Gavin Bishop © 2009