The first historical novel by a Maori author depicts brutal tribal wars, the struggle for power and dominance, as well as the love of a princess for a slave, and portrays the life of the first New Zealanders as it truly was. Heretaunga Pat Baker, himself the son of a chief, has recorded what the tribal elders told him - only the names are fictional. The central figure of the novel is the chief's daughter Rangipai, an extraordinary personality who captivates even the enemy with her charisma. Brave and determined, the delicate princess defies tribal traditions, with the deep insight that the Maori people can only have a future through unity. This realization seems to come at just the right time - just before the arrival of the tattoo-less stranger, foretold by a prophecy.