„For not only do we lose everything if we lose our land. We also become nothing.” The representation of land in contemporary New Zealand literature

Abstract

Abstract. Land has always played a crucial role in New Zealand indigenous people"s identity. After years of European suppression it has evolved into one of the themes of contemporary New Zealand literature. In their novels, native writers such as Keri Hulme, Witi Ihimaera and Patricia Grace use land not only as an element of the setting. In these representations, land functions as a place of tradition and belonging, a reminder of the past, but also as a target of colonial abuse. Each of the writers presents a new perspective on the role of land, yet, their perceptions are in many aspects coincidental.