), ‘The soul of a people, the essence of their being, exists within the warmth of their philosophy; it is nurtured and sheltered by the wisdom of their beginning’ (p. 4). It is time to turn this heart around in full circles reclaiming, taking back what was taken from us through the invaders of the Western seas.
Koro/Grandfather
Speak to me of being women, when a child
Grandmothers taught magical lessons
Mother earth/Papatuanuku
Nurturing, caring, loving my brothers
My sisters, my mothers, my fathers,
Sacred circle of whānau, family
Eternal flame, ahi kaa, Growing inside, of warmth, safety,
Loving my sisters, growing deep within
Mother's breasts,
Brothers, Te Wao nui ō Tane
Forest whānau inhabiting forest floors
Whānau, winged children of Ranginui e tu iho nei
Sky father above,
Birthing women's lessons from all whānau
Glowing in women's light
Grandmothers, kōrero, talk, Koro wind, Tawhirimatea, God of the wind
His songs, of anger, peace, gentle caressing
Kissing, licking my paparinga, my cheeks, Four directions, ngā hau e whā.
His thundering messages, flashing skies
Colouring pages of my mind, my child's mind
My beauty, my rains, roimata, tears
Warm in my sleep words tapping on tin roof
Ngā kuia old women kōrero talk
Grandmother moon, radiant light, gifts,
Light on a road to walk through my nights
Te awa o te atua god/desses flow
Red flows from within, full womanhood
She speaks of me, global beauty, life's circles complete
Honouring fathers, brothers, uncles, sons,
Completeness.
Grandmother moon, birthing mother lessons, Listening to our babies growing deep within,
Teaching those lessons, sacred houses
Tapu, sacred time,
But
Fear, anger, hate, strangers lost to their roots, different ways, progress, technology, white collars, destroying sacred houses
Removing language removing rituals gods, goddesses, Come calling me barbaric, savage, native, Māori
Their need for power over
Raping, violating, killing, destroying my people; My nation, invaders, dancing technological fire dances; clouded minds of dope, chemicals, crack, cocaine, heroin
Dancing alcoholic dances plastic horses spinning
Faster and faster into a life of death
Barbarians of the western seas practice genocide
Winning, losing, betting games.
Lust, power, for power, tools of the stranger. Babies unborn, dance chemical death songs, Death does not come, plastic, tubes, bubbles house
The dying, babies survive born into a chemical hate
E Koro, grandfather, I am supposed to love the strangers, So many questions, love, hate, love hate, I hear your song e Kui grandmother,
I just have to remember
The words, savour the taste of them on my lips,
The words fade into wairua, spirit
Life then become bearable, stillness enters my soul, And it begins to fly, I will not be lulled into the mystical
Trendy, eastern, western religions
But stay close to the wisdoms of the ancient ones,
I have the intrinsic knowledge passed down through
The wai u breast milk of the mother
I know I have survived, I will survived,
I will live
I hear your prayers old ones, Those songs that enter, my heart I will sing.
I remember my woman, My Ngati Kahungunu connections to you,
I am woman
I am man
I am grandmother
I am grandfather,
I am light and darkness
Sparkling newness comes
Old voices, old waiata, old wisdoms, renewed
Live with me an old, wise, powerful indigenous woman.
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