The Pōrangi Boy Reina Whaitiri bums and artists - survive

bums and artists - survive side by side in a jumble of adventure and mischief

treated with respect and even affection

They also profile some of the men and women who have helped build our knowledge in this area

as a fierce wolf-dog hybrid born in the wild is eventually tamed

it is also a vital record of what it means to grow up Maori

The Pōrangi Boy Reina Whaitiri bums and artists - surviveTwelve year old Niko lives in Pohe Bay, a small, rural town with a sacred hot spring and a taniwha named Taukere. The government wants to build a prison over the home of the taniwha, and Nikos grandfather is busy protesting. People call him prangi, crazy, but when he dies, its up to Niko to convince his community that the taniwha is real and stop the prison from being built. With help from his friend Wai, Niko must unite his whnau, honour his