As a child growing up I would stand on maunga that surrounded my whare and imagine I had the mana to control the elements – change the direction of the winds – declaring to Hineomairangi and Tāwhirimātea to heed to my words.
After my karanga I would listen for the tree to chatter, birds to sing, Tamanuiterā to come out behind the kapua to tell me I’m doing a great job or try harder. In those moments
I belonged and I began to manifest a mauri that was strong and real.
In writing below, it started as a poem, but then it grew. I started to connect Atua to each emotion. This process has allowed me to reclaim ngā kare a roto as powerful elemental forces beyond and connected to te tai ao. I explore how are Atua at play in our lives, the consequences of decisions made long ago and what impacts these decisions have for generations to come. I consider ‘decisions’ in terms of the relevance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi today. Its presence in our homes & even in our most intimate moments.
[Opening scene]
Hine: Yell a bit more, I can’t quite hear {Hinekeira}
Tāne: F**k off {Whiro}
Hine: The swearing doesn’t make me want to listen {Hinekeira}
Tāne: Always making it about you {Whiro}
Hine: I know you want to hurt me {Hinekeira}
Tāne: Yeah, and hurt people, hurt people {Rongomatāne}
Hine: Well, it’s working {Hinemoana}
Tāne: And healed people, heal people {Rongomaraeroa}
Tāne: You know you’re a welcome snowflake on my tongue {Tāwhirirangi}
Hine: Is that a complement to melt? {Hinemoana}
Tāne: It means you’re unique {Tānemahuta}
Mokopuna: be careful when you sign your moko to the treaty
Mokomokopuna: we didn’t own the paper or the pen then….and still don’t
Koro: remember moko don’t focus too much on the principles
Kuia: remember the preambles are more important
IRA TANGATA, IRA ATUA
[Second scene]
Tāne: Come for a ride on my rollercoaster…{Whiro}
Hine: I’ve been on it before {Hineomairangi}
Tāne: Turn around – puku in your mouth {Tawhirimatea}
Hine: Thanks for the invite, but no thanks {Hineomairangi}
Tāne: But YOU made me feel like this! {Whiro}
Hine: WTF I’m not your rehab {Hinekeira}
Tāne: I paid for your ticket and got you this far {Whiro}
Hine: Don’t go open a door if you don’t want a whare…..TANGATA! {Hinenuitepō}
Mokopuna: be careful when you sign your moko to the treaty
Mokomokopuna: we didn’t own the paper or the pen then….and still don’t
Koro: remember moko don’t focus too much on the principles
Kuia: remember the preambles are more important
IRA TANGATA, IRA ATUA
[Third scene]
Tāne: Am I a rangatahi to your rangatira-ness? {Rūaumoko}
Hine: No rangatira here bei {Mahuika}
Tāne: What do you mean? I don’t think I’ve met a rangatira? {Ranginui}
Hine: Well, the way they are described and written about it’s no wonder {Hineomairangi}
Tāne: It’s like a job description that we will never live up to {Tānemahuta}
Hine: Yeah, like they describe superpowers on Mars that don’t function on Earth or something {Papatūānuku}
Tāne: I’m trying to be a good rangatahi {Matariki}
Hine: I’m trying to be {Hinemarama}
Tāne: But we aren’t even part of a tira {Kiwa}
Hine: And no way off this planet a tīpuna of gravity grounding you {Hinepūtehue}
Tāne: Ariki collecting dragon balls like a foreign cartoon. Those fullas get it {Tūmatauenga}
Hine: To only leave a fingerprint on the glass {Hinepūkohurangi}
Tāne: Our unique tree trunk fingerprint {Tānemahuta}
Hine: But now we can no longer see it {Tawhirimatea}
Tāne: It’s now worn off from years of emotional labour {Tangaroa}
Mokopuna: Be careful when you sign your moko to the treaty
Mokomokopuna: We didn’t own the paper or the pen then….and still don’t
Koro: Remember moko don’t focus too much on the principles
Kuia: Remember the preambles are more important
Hine: We live for our mokopuna
Tāne: To be punaariki
Hine: Reflecting our tīpuna
Tāne: Ngā waipuna o ngā Ariki
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