You Are Here by Whiti Hereaka

In You Are Here, Whiti Hereaka and Peata Larkin craft a deeply resonant and formally ambitious meditation on belonging, identity, and the interplay between words and visual language. As the sixth book in Massey University Press’s Kōrero series, this collaboration between the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize-winning writer and the esteemed artist explores the Fibonacci number sequence as a structuring principle, creating a spiralling textual and artistic experience that immerses the reader in its layered narrative.

Hereaka’s prose unwinds in a tightly controlled yet fluid pattern, expanding towards the centre of the book before contracting back, ultimately ending with the same words that opened the text. This meticulous mirroring is not merely a stylistic choice but an invitation to reread, to reflect, and to experience a transformation in understanding.

Larkin’s contributions are no less intricate or evocative. Her precise, geometric drawings reference tāniko and whakairo, as well as tukutuku and weaving patterns, forging a visual dialogue with the text that is both subtle and powerful. Her lush silk works add further depth, making the book not only an intellectual experience but a tactile and aesthetic one. As Hereaka’s words spiral in and out of themselves, Larkin’s images form their own entrancing rhythm, reinforcing the themes of connection, whakapapa, and return.

The title itself—You Are Here—suggests an interrogation of place and selfhood, themes that run deeply throughout the book. The phrase, so familiar from maps and directional markers, takes on layered meanings as Hereaka explores childhood landscapes, family histories, and the sometimes uneasy relationship between past and present. The second-person narration invites the reader into this experience, making them a participant in the journey rather than a passive observer. The result is a narrative that is both deeply personal and universally resonant.

The book’s structure, mirroring the Fibonacci sequence, is a remarkable feat of constraint and creativity. Hereaka’s use of language shifts in accordance with the mathematical sequence, condensing as it retreats from the book’s centre. This approach does not stifle the emotional force of the writing but rather heightens its impact, as ideas and emotions are distilled into their purest, most intense forms. Themes of frustration, loss, and rediscovery emerge with increasing clarity, creating a reading experience that is at once physical and emotional.

Beyond its literary and artistic merits, You Are Here is a beautifully produced book. From the subtle embossed lettering on the cover to the carefully chosen paper stock, every element of its design reflects a commitment to craftsmanship. The book is not only to be read but to be held, examined, and revisited. As part of the Kōrero series, which pairs writers and artists in creative dialogue, it stands as a particularly compelling example of how text and image can coalesce into a unified, immersive experience.

Ultimately, You Are Here is a work of profound depth and lyricism, seamlessly blending personal narrative with broader cultural and philosophical questions. It is a book about finding one’s place—both in a literal and metaphorical sense—about the tensions between movement and stillness, past and present, self and ancestry. Hereaka and Larkin have created not just a book but an experience, one that lingers in the mind long after the final words have been read. And as those words remind us, the end is not truly an end—it is simply another beginning.

Reviewer: Chris Reed

Massey University Press