One of Aotearoa’s most celebrated Māori authors, Witi Ihimaera, is opening up about his deeply personal journey to reclaim te reo Māori in his new memoir Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer.
Released today by Auckland University Press, the book follows Ihimaera’s decision at the age of eighty to fully immerse himself in learning te reo Māori through study at Te Wānanga Takiura.
Known internationally for groundbreaking works including Whale Rider, Ihimaera says the decision to return to te reo later in life became a journey of reconnecting with identity, whakapapa and ancestral knowledge.
The memoir documents the emotional and transformative experiences he encountered during a year of intensive language learning, including moments of vulnerability, rediscovery and personal growth.
Ihimaera reflects on how colonisation and language loss affected many Māori of his generation, with te reo often discouraged or denied within schools and wider society during their childhoods.
Through his studies, the acclaimed writer says he found himself reconnecting not only with language, but also with his tīpuna and the deeper cultural foundations of being Māori.
The book also explores the challenges older Māori can face when reclaiming te reo, including whakamā, self-doubt and the pressure of beginning again later in life.
Despite those challenges, Ihimaera says the experience has strengthened his sense of belonging and opened new creative pathways for his writing.
He has previously spoken about his ambition to eventually write a novel entirely in te reo Māori — something he says now feels more achievable following his immersion journey.
Te Kaikaukau | The Swimmer arrives at a time of continued growth for te reo Māori revitalisation across Aotearoa, with increasing numbers of Māori and non-Māori engaging in language learning through kura, wānanga and community initiatives.
The memoir is expected to resonate strongly with readers navigating their own journeys of language reclamation, cultural identity and reconnection with whakapapa.
Witi Ihimaera remains one of the most influential figures in Māori literature and was the first Māori writer to publish both a collection of short stories and a novel in English.
