Kiwi Christmas

Book review December 2013 Joy Cowley’s Kiwi Christmas situates the Christmas story in Aotearoa New Zealand with a Māori Mary and flowering pohutukawa. The first visitor after Jesus’ birth is…

Book review

December 2013

Joy Cowley’s Kiwi Christmas situates the Christmas story in Aotearoa New Zealand with a Māori Mary and flowering pohutukawa. The first visitor after Jesus’ birth is a Māori landowner on her quad bike. She has seen her woolshed curiously full of light.

Bruce Potter has depicted some realistic Māori angels above the shining shed outside which Joseph’s ute is parked. The angel Gabriel is a fantail bathed in light who visits Mary in the autumn and then Joseph as he sleeps.

The shepherds have clearly just come from the farm and the wise men are clad in today’s garb. This country’s children will love seeing themselves in this story.

Have a look too at Notes to a Friend. Joy Cowley has collected her thoughts about God from the perspective of those who have never heard the word ‘God’ but who know a spiritual presence.

Both books are available from Pleroma.