For Audre Lorde, who took the time to work with me on the first draft, Berlin, August 1992, when she was in the final weeks of her battle with cancer. Her last words to me were to extract a promise to finish the novel. Audre named her hei matau “Cowrie” in honour of the text and Gloria Joseph returned the bone carving for me to wear while working on the final draft.

Mahalo, Audre. I hope you are pleased with the outcome. Thanks for your honesty, insight and love. I miss you.