Notes

When her tribe is defeated in battle, Atapo is captured and becomes a slave of her enemies. Freedom seems impossible; the penalty for runaway slaves is death. But when sickness strikes the village, Atapo is blamed - and now it is more dangerous to stay. To save her life, she escapes to the Pakeha mission at Paihia. There, Atapo is taught to read and write, and learns of the threat to Maori by some unscrupulous settlers greedy for land. Her new found skills means Against the backdrop of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Atapo discovers how her education can save her tribal lands and help her reclaim her destiny as the guiding star of her people, because even though she was born into an important family her capture meant she lost her standing in her tribe, and she hopes the new skills she has acquired will mean she can return home with her head held high.