In the 1950s, a young Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku (Te Arawa, Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi, Waikato) is fostered by a family who believe in hard work and community. Although close to her kuia, she craves more: she wants higher education and refined living. But whānau dismiss her dreams. To them, she is just a show-off, always getting into trouble, talking back and running away.

In her fiery memoir about identity and belonging, Ngāhuia te Awekōtuku describes what was possible for a restless working-class girl from the pā. Ngāhuia’s story moves from her student days at Auckland University, to advocating resistance as a founding member of Ngā Tamatoa and the Women's and Gay Liberation movements, to becoming a critical voice in protests from Waitangi to the streets of Wellington.

Miriama Kamo (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga) meets her to discuss her life and Ockham New Zealand Book Awards shortlisted memoir, Hine Toa.