A photo album doesn't tell the whole story of a family, and this book doesn't tell the whole story of Parihaka. Rather, it prompts you to look at Parihaka from a different angle. 

This book is an adventure through the 'dementia wing' of New Zealand's unfinished colonial past. It is about the forgotten stories, blind spots and hidden corners that I encountered in the history-making about the Crown's 1881 invasion of Parihaka Pā, a non-violent settlement in Taranaki. This invasion is one of the most troubling, significant and well-known events in the short, shared history of Māori and Pākehā, yet it is easily overlooked. This book explores why and offers some personal stories and family snaps as antidotes to historical amnesia. 

Open this album and see what you can find here! Parihaka is taonga, heirloom, trouble spot, muse. It is a story told around a kitchen table, a sermon in church, a sell-out art show. Parihaka is a story about my relatives - Te Āti Awa, Taranaki, Ngāti Ruanui, British - and it is a story about me. It is a sad story. But it is not over yet...