Quote by Hone Tuwhare: “The land is a living thing, breathing, feeling.”

This quote personifies the earth, suggesting it's not just inanimate matter but a conscious entity with its own life and sensations. It reflects an indigenous worldview that sees humanity as deeply connected to a vibrant, responsive natural world.

Tuwhare, a leading Māori poet, imbued his work with strong connections to the land at a time when environmental consciousness was rising globally, and Māori rights to ancestral lands were a key political issue in New Zealand.

New Zealand Māori poet of Ngāpuhi descent, celebrated for his deeply sensory and often playful engagement with nature and working-class life. His debut collection No Ordinary Sun, published in 1964, was the first solo poetry collection by a Māori author. He was named New Zealand's second Te Mata Poet Laureate in 1999.