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Te Ao Hou, 1972, Page 7

The Editor, Te Ao Hou, Through your book I would like to thank Witi Ihimaera for one of the most amusing and enjoyable evenings I've had for a long time—reading the story ‘Halcyon’. While waiting to be served in our local bookshop, I started turning the pages of Te Ao Hou to see if there was anyone I knew in it. Lo and behold, there was a picture of Atareta Poananga, so I promptly bought it. That night while everyone was watching ‘Steptoei’, I decided to read my book. I started with the item about Atareta, next the Queen's visit, then Remembering the Dead, and then I thought, ‘Now I'll read the story with the most pages first and the lesser ones later’. That was how I met Witi, and he certainly is witty! I haven't laughed so much for a long time. Everything was so real. I loved his ‘you know whats’, and what I loved most was the fact that although he had a much nicer car and home, he didn't think he was better than his cousins and aunts. That's my kind of Maori. Yours sincerely, Ngaroimata Hawea