Huia Short Stories 11 (12 page)

Hei ngā hararei kura te haere mai nei, ka hoki māua ko taku tuakana ki te kāinga, ki Raupunga, mā runga tereina. He kore hiahia nō māua ki te hoki i te korenga o ngā mahi tere pēnei i te tāone nui e taea ai e te rangatahi. He wāhi pakupaku noa iho nei tō mātau kāinga; he awa, he ngāhere, he moana ngā papa tākaro o te rangatahi o reira. Otirā, waia ana katoa māua ki ngā painga o te tāone e korekore rawa atu e kite i te tuawhenua nei. Nō māua tonu e kōhungahunga ana, ka noho mātau te whānau ki Te Pūtere. Engari kua tō kē aua rangi, he tamariki tāone kē māua īnaianei.

He toa i ōna rā i Raupunga heoi anō kua kati ōna kuaha i inamata nei, e kore rawa e huaki mai anō. Ko te whakatoi mai a taku kaiako i te kura waenga, a Whaea Materoa nō Tūranga ia, ina hoki ai ia ki Tūranga he kemo noa tāna kua hipa kē atu i Raupunga, te pono hoki!

Ka tae mai ki te rā wehe ka haere atu mātau ki te teihana tereina, ka mutu, koia pea te tino wheako o taku hararei ko te haerenga atu mā runga tereina. I te tangi mai o te pere kia eke ki te tereina kātahi ka meatia mai ai e taku pāpā ki a māua, e ao kē ana mā kōrua e hokihoki ki te kāinga ka toutou tonu ai i ō kōrua ahi kia kore e mātao. I konā tonu ka rakurakuhia taku mahunga me te hanepī o te hirikapo. Ka eke ake ai māua ki te tereina ka haere, nō māua e noho ana ka āta whakaarohia he aha kē te tikanga o ana kupu kōrero ki a māua engari auare ake he māramatanga ka puta.

Tae atu ana te tereina ki Nēpia ka puta te hunga haere nei ki te kapu tī, ki te whātorotoro anō hoki i te tinana. Ka pau tētahi wā ka karangahia e te kaikite tīkiti kia eke anō te hunga nei ki te tereina ka haere ai. Ka haere te tereina, ka puta te reo o te kaihautū, ‘Ko tōna kotahi hāora neke atu kua tae atu ai mātau ki Raupunga
'
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Ahakoa e hia mai nei ngā hokinga ki te kāinga mā runga waka ka mate tonu taku tia i ngā huarahi hurihuri mai i Ahuriri tae rawa atu ai ki Raupunga. He piko he ruaki, he piko he ruaki, he nui tonu nō ngā hurihuri o te ara nei, ngā piki me ngā heke. Nōku e pēpē ana taku pērā te kī mai a taku kōkā ki a au, ā, ahakoa kua rangatahi au inaiānei, ko taua āhua tonu e ngaua ana ahau.

Ka puta anō te reo o te kaihautū ka mea, ‘Ngā tama e puta ana i Raupunga me whakarite i ā kōrua pēke.' I a ia e kōrero pērā ana ka whakawhiti tonu ai mātau i te piriti tereina, ā, ko tōku awa o Mohaka kei raro iho nei i a mātau e whakawhiti ana. E ai ki ngā kōrero, kārekau he piriti i teitei mai, i teitei atu i tēnei i te ao ki te tonga, ka mutu, te kōrero mai a taku pāpā nā tōna taina a Clifford te piriti nei i kake, ānō nei ko Tāwhaki ia i te wā e rangatahi tonu ana. Koira anake ngā mahi o te kāinga nei: he kake piriti, he eke hoiho, he rama tuna, he hī ika, hui katoa ēnei mahi kāore e rata ana ki a au.

Ka whakapōturihia te tereina kia tū, ka kite atu au i taku kōkā a Rose e whanga mai ana ki a māua i waho me tana hoiho, ka puta māua kārekau he raima, he pātītī kē te papa. Ka tau tonu atu taku waewae ki te tiko hoiho i taku heketanga ki te papa i te tereina, ka rere mai ai taku kōkā ki a māua ka mihimihi, ka awhiawhi. Nā te tata mai o te whare ka hīkoi noa ki te kāinga. Ka pā ki taku ihu te rongo o te ika e rere ana, ā, kua mōhio tonu kua eke rā mātau ki te kāinga.

Ko te Whiringa-ā-rangi te marama nei, ā, he wā motuhake tonu ki te iwi o Mohaka o Raupunga otirā tō mātau iwi o Pāhauwera, he rērere nō ngā Kahawai ki te ngutu awa. Ngā mea noho tāone atu ki Ahuriri, ki Heretaunga, ki Te Papaiōea, waihoki ki tawhiti noa atu ki Te Waipounamu, ka hokihoki mai ki te rērere haere o ngā Kahawai. Ko te aru a te Kahawai ko āna anō kai ko ngā īnanga e rere haere ana i te awa.

Ka kuhuna mātau ki te whare ka mihi mai ai taku matua kēkē ki a māua. E whakarite ana ia i tana papareti ka mea mai, ‘Waiho atu ā kōrua pēke ki te rūma – kua haere tātau ki tātahi ki te mau Kahawai.'

Ahakoa i te takiwā o te waru karaka i te pō tae atu ana mātau ki tātahi, kāore e ārikarika ana ngā tāngata me ā rātau papareti e hī ika ana. He pāraharaha motuhake ki tō mātau iwi o Pāhauwera te papareti nō whakapata rā anō i mahi ai ōku tīpuna ki te mau Kahawai, te tino kai ki tō mātau iwi. Ka kore e kitea tēnei tāonga te papareti ki whaitua atu anō.

Kāore i mau i a māua ko taku tuakana te Kahawai i tēnei pō. Heoi anō, te kī mai a taku matua, ‘ākene āpōpō kōrua ka mau.'

Oho ake ana mātau i te atapō tonu kia anga te haere ki tātahi. Tō mātau taenga atu ki tātahi ko tētahi taha o te awa kikī ana i te Māori, ko tētahi he angiangi ngā Māori. Ka mea mai taku matua ki a māua ko Michael, ‘Ko te taha Māori tēnei, ko te taha Pākehā tērā.'

Ka rere taku ui ki a ia, ‘He aha hoki e pērā ana?'

Ko tana whakautu ka mea mai, ‘Ko ngā whenua e tū nei tātau kai ō mātau ringaringa tonu otirā, tērā taha nō mātau tonu engari kua mūreingia i raro i ngā niho o te ture nō tērā rautau. Ka mutu, ko te tangata nāna nei i mūrei ko Donald McLean. Kei Ahuriri te whīra whutupōro rongonui e kīia nei ko McLean Park, kua tapa ki tana ingoa ahakoa kaitāhae tērā.'

Ka tino riri te reo o taku matua nei. Heoi anō ka whakariterite ia i ā māua matira ki te mounu. Ka mea mai ia, ‘Waiho ake ngā papareti mō nāianei; hei te tūhoetanga o te rā pea ka mahi.'

Kāore i roa mātau e hī ana ka tere huri ngā tohu a Tāwhirimātea. Ka mea ake tō māua matua me huri te ihu o tō tātau waka ki te kāinga, he pukepuke nō moana nō hea rawa tātau e mau i tēnei rā. Ka mutu, ka taki hoki atu te iwi e hī ana ki te ngutu awa ki ō rātau kāinga. Heoi anō ngā mea noho puni ka waiho noa ake ā rātau rākau hī e tū ana ki te oneone e hī tonu ana ka hoki ai ki ō rātau wharau, ki ō rātau tēneti kei te taha tai.

I tō mātau hokinga atu ka tū mātau ki te taha o te awa ka whākī mai ai a Matua Willy ki a māua ki te kimi toka hāngī. ‘E whā ngā tūmomo toka hāngī nei', tāna kī mai ki a māua, ‘otirā me kanohi hōmiromiro te kimi iho.' Nāwai nāwai, ka waea haere koe ki te kimi toka hāngi nei, ā, me te marama e rākau nui ana i te rangi ka kite koe. Ka mutu, koia hoki te wā e tika ana ki te kimi toka hāngī – ka pīataata noa mai ngā toka hāngī nei i te āwhina a Rona.

‘Ko Mohaka, ko Harara, ko Taupunga, ko Opunga ngā ingoa o ō mātau toka nei,' te kōrero mai a Matua Willy. ‘He tae tō tērā, he tae tō tērā, he pakari tētahi i tētahi. Heoi anō i te mura o te ahi ka noho ngātahi ngā toka katoa, ka korekore rawa e whati. He pērā anō tō kōrua iwi, ahakoa wētahi wā ka tū te puehu i waenga i te iwi anō, e kore rā mātau e whati.'

Kātahi ia ka whakanohoia māua ka tangi i tana waiata:

‘
Mohaka, Harara, Tauponga, Opunga

tākoha mai Rūaumoko i tana hū

i rere noa nei ki te awa Mohaka e

Tuku taku papa ka retireti i te kahu o te wai

Kimi haere Kahawai toka ai whakatūmau kai

Tangitū ki te moana tohu kai Maungaharuru

ki uta patupatu manu

Mohaka awa hīnaki tuna
,

Waikare mātaitai kai

Mau punga ōku wae!

Tini whetū ki te rangi manomano

kai ki te whenua hai kai māhau e!

Ka mīharo māua ko taku tuakana ki ngā kōrero otirā, te kaha hoki o taku matua ki te waiata. Ka whakaaro ake au he nui ngā kōrero o te kāinga nei, ahakoa wāhi pakupaku noa iho nei.

Ka kuhuna mātau ki te waka ka anga tō mātau haere ki Raupunga, rima meniti mā runga waka te tikanga. Nō mātau e hoki ana ka tūtū haere tō mātau waka ki ngā kokona katoa ka kōrerohia e taku matua ngā kōrero ā te iwi. Ka pau te toru hāora, kua tae ake rā mātau ki te kāinga, me te aha, kua renarena taku māhunga i ngā korero a Pāhauwera.

I te kaha o te ua ka mea mai taku matua ka toru, ka whā rā rānei kia pai anō ai te moana ki te hī. Tēnā, ka whakaritea nei kia haere ai mātau ki Ahuriri ki te hokohoko kai otirā, ki te whakangahau i ngā mahi o te tāone. Kotahi tō te whānau waka, ā, he taraka. He taraka waikura, he taraka anuanu, he taraka pakaru. Maringinui ana ka tū te ua ina wehe atu ai mātau inā rā ko mātau ngā tamariki tokoiwa ka noho ki te wāhanga o muri kāore ōna tuanui. Heoi anō, ki a mātau he ngahau. Ka mea mai aku uri kia tūpato – me kaha mau ki ngā taha i te wā he nui nō ngā huringa kei taka. Heoi anō, ka haere.

Te pai hoki o tō mātau haere. Korekore rawa taku puku i mate ki te ruaki i te nui o te ngahau mai i Raupunga tae rawa ake ki Nēpia. Nō mātau i reira ka kitekite i ngā uri o te kāinga e hokohoko kai ana kia whakahokia ki te kāinga. Ko mātau ngā tamariki ka haere atu ki te tāone ki te kotiti, ka waiho atu taku matua rāua ko taku kōkā ki te whare hokohoko kai.

Ka haere atu mātau ki te whīra whutupōro i mea mai ai taku matua ki a au taenehi rā kia kite atu au. Kai taku pūkoro taku pene pango. Ka tae atu mātau ki reira ka, tango ai au i taku pene ka ukuia ‘McLean Park' kia huri hai ‘Mūrei Whenua', kātahi ka wawe tō mātau rere atu ki te whare hokohoko kai kei mau mātau i te pirihimana.

Ka tae ake rā mātau ki reira e kuhuna ana ngā kai ki te wāhanga o muri o te taraka ka ui mai taku kōkā, ‘I haere koutou ki hea?'

‘Ki wī, ki wā,' tā Michael. Ka eke mātau ngā tamariki ki te waka, ka haere.

I taku matua e taraiwa ana, ka puta tana ūpoko i te wini ka mea, ‘E kare mā, ka whakahipa au i te whīra whutupōro kia kite ai i a Zeb rāua ko Mike.'

Nōna ka whakawhiti ka pōturi haere ia. Kāore au i aro atu ki taku matua nei kei kite mai ia i aku ropi e rākau nui ana, heoi anō ka tū te taraka. Kāore tonu au i titiro atu, engari ka pakaru mai te kata o taku matua me te kī ake, ‘Ah Tamihana.'

Ko taku ingoa waenga tērā heoti, kāre au i mōhio pehea ia i mōhio ai nāku te mahi rā, ka mutu, wēnei tonu au ka kōhetengia mātau.

Tae atu ana mātau ki te kāinga ka whakamakere wētahi o ngā kai ka haere anō mātau. Ka anga tō mātau haere atu ki Te Pūtere, ki te pāmu hipi o taku matua kēkē kei te taha o tō mātau roto o Ngaio. He pāti nui mō te kēnge kuti hipi o taku matua hai whakamiha i a rātau, ngā ringa raupā mō te wāhanga pukumahi e kīia nei ko te Main Shear.

Ka mea mai taku matua ki a mātau ngā tamariki, ‘Tukua ngā rākau hī ki te roto hai whakawaiwai mā koutou, ka mutu, ki te mau ki te tuna ko te painga atu tērā.'

Ka waiho atu mātau ngā tamariki ki te taha o te roto, ka pāti haere ngā pakeke. Kua roa nei mātau e whanga ana kia ngaua e te tuna ki ō mātau aho. Engari te āhua nei, e moe kē ana ngā tuna. Ka kuhu ai mātau ki ngā kōta ka moe.

Ao ake, he rā karekau he kapua i te rangi. Ka haere atu au ki taku matua e kaha ngongoro ana ka kukumea kia oho. Ka kī atu ai, ‘Matua, e whiti mai ana te rā.Me haere atu tātau ki te moana kia mau i a au taku Kahawai tuatahi.'

Ka karanga atu a matua ki ngā tamariki, ka kuhuna ki te taraka ka haere.

Tae atu ana mātau ki te ngutu awa karekau ō te moana kare, he marino papa pounamu te āhua, ā, ko Te Matau a Māui kai te kitea, tōna katoa mai i Te Māhia taka rawa iho ki Te Kauae.

Ka whakarite nei ā mātau taputapu hī ka karakia ai. Ko waku uri he mātanga ki te mahi nei, ā, kua tukua kētia e rātau ā rātau aho ki matara atu ki te moana. Heoi anō tāku, he pūtu ruarua noa iho nei tana tawhiti ki te moana.Ka kite atu au i taku uri a Shamrock e kōripo ana i tētahi ika ki te oneone, ā, he Kahawai nunui tonu. Ka patua te Kahawai ki tōna ūpoko ki te rākau kia mate tere, kātahi ka kuhuna ai ki tāna pēke huka. Ka whiu anō ai tana aho ki te moana. Wēnei tonu au me whakahoki te ika tuatahi ki a Tangaroa hai koha ki a ia, koirā ngā kōrero a taku matua ki a au.

Ka ui atu ahau ki taku matua, ‘E ao ana e pā, me whakahoki te ika tuatahi ki a Tangaroa, nēha?'

‘Ehara, ehara,' tāna whakahoki mai. ‘Heoi anō, tā Shamrock tē pēnā, ka kuhu noa tāna ki tāna pēke.'

Ka kōhetengia ia, ka mutu, ka whiu mai ia i tana ika ki a au ka patu ki taku ihu ka rere mai te toto. Ka hiki au i te tāwhao, ka whiu atu tērā ki a ia. Ka meatia e taku matua, ‘Kāti, kei kai mai kōrua i taku pūtu.'

Ka haere tonu ngā kangakanga: ‘ā tōna wā, e tama – he utu kai te haere,' taku kōrero ki a ia.

Ka tau te puehu i waenga i māua kātahi ka tuku atu ai taku aho ki te moana.

Nāwai rā, ka ngaua taku mounu e te ika, ā, he kore mōhio nōku me aha hoki īnaianei inā rā he tapu tonu ōku waewae ki tēnei wāhanga o te mau ika. Ka tohutohu mai a Shamrock ki a au, ka mea, ‘Hīkina te matira, ā, nōu ka kukume i te aho matira me pōturi anō te heke whakararo o te rākau hī i te wā kotahi.'

Ka āta whāia e au ana tohutohu, kāre i roa mai ka puta te Kahawai i te oneone, ā, tōna rahi hoki! Ka maharatia e au te kī mai a taku matua ki a au. Nā, ka tangohia atu te matau i tōna waha ka whakamiha atu ki a Tangaroa, ka whakahoki atu ki a ia. Ka haere mai taku matua ki a au, hariru ai. E koa ana taku ngākau i taku haere mai ki te kāinga nei. Heoti, kāre tonu au i te kite i te māramatanga o ngā kupu kōrero a taku matua ake ki a au ina wehe atu ai i Te Papaiōea.

Ka tae atu ki te rā hoki ki Te Papaiōea, ka mihimihi ahau ki aku uri me aku pakeke, ka hīkoi atu ai ki te teihana tereina. Ka tae mai te tereina ka kī mai taku matua ki a au, ‘E tama, kua kā anō tō ahi. Kia kore e mātao me hoki anō koe ā kō ake nei.' Ka harirū anō ka haere. Ka haere rangirua atu, ā, ka hoki rangirua atu anō.

Tae atu ana māua ki Te Papaiōea ka kī atu ahau ki taku pāpā, ‘Ngā hararei ā kura te haere mai nei kai te hiahia hoki atu anō au ki Raupunga.'

Ka titiro menemene mai taku pāpā ki a au, ā, ka kōrero ia, ‘Kua tahuna te ahi, ko tāu īnaianei he toutou kia whitawhita!'

Ka taka te kapa!

Kātahi anō ka mutu i a au aku heru kuti hipi te whakakoikoi, ka haere mai ai taku pāpā kia tirohia mēnā rānei i tika taku whakakoikoi, he pia tonu nōku ki te mahi nei. ‘E tama, tirohia ēnei wāhanga o te heru nei. Ko te tikanga ia kia kiwikiwi katoatia te tae, mea ka kite atu he paku kia tika.'

Ka hoki atu ahau ki te mīhini whakakoikoi kia whakatikahia aku heru, ā, hoki atu anō ki taku pāpā. Ko tāna, ‘Āpōpō kai te haere atu koe ki te pāmu o Tuapaka nō Te Whare Wānanga o Massey, kei tēnei taha mai o ngā pae maunga nei o Tararua. He rēme te momo, ā, e rima mano hai whakaoti mā koutou tokorima, hai whakaoti atu i roto i te toru rangi.'

He tino tata nō te hēti ki te kāinga ka whakarite ai au i taku karaka whakaohooho kia tangi mai ā te 5:45am. He hīkaka nōku ka matike moata kē au i mua i te tangi mai o taku karaka. He pīni paka, he hēki, he hua rākau me te pāreti ā mātau ko aku tāina parakuihi. Kua roa rawa tā rāua kuti hipi engari anō ahau. Kātahi anō i tēnei wāhanga matua kuti hipi o te tau ka tīmata. He mahi hararei noa iho kia pai taku utu i aku nama mō te whare wānanga.

Mānohi anō aku tāina nei he rērere haere puta i te ao atu ki ītari, ki Ingarangi, ki Amerika, ki Ahitireiria anō hoki kia whai ai i ngā wāhanga kuti hipi i ō reira.

He kaha tā rāua whakatoitoi mai i a au ahakoa ko au te tuakana, engari i roto mai i ngā mahi kuti hipi ko ahau kē te whakapākanga me te pōturi. Ehara i te mea koia tēnei taku rā tuatahi e kuti hipi ana, waihoki he tauhou au ki roto i te ao kuti hipi. Kua aua te wā ahau e mahi ana hai kaimahi whakakīkī pēne nōku tonu i te kura waenga mohoa nei, i ngā hararei ā-kura. Waihoki, i roto i ngā tau tata nei ko aku tāina nei aku rangatira i roto nei i ngā hēti. Ina hiahia ana rāua ki te hipi ki roto i ō rāua pēne ka karangahia ‘Sheepo', me te aha, ko au te tonotono e whakatutuki i ā rāua tohutohu mai.

Heoi anō, ka tae atu ana mātau ki te hēti, he tokorua kaikuti hipi anō ka tae atu me te kēnge i roto i te wēne kia tokorima katoa mātau. He tokowhā anō ngā rōrapu, ā, kotahi anake te kaiwhakakīkī pēne. Mā te kaiwhakakīkī pēne anō ngā kapu tī me ngā pēre wūru e whakarite mai.

Mōhio pai ana au me tatari kia tīpakohia e ngā pakeke kaikuti me aku tāina anō hoki ō rātau tū (wāhi kutihipi, ngā mīhini nei), ā, riro mai ana i a au te tū e toe ana.

Ka huri au ki te whakariterite i āku taputapu, āku heru me ngā kata, ka wairorihia ki taku mīhini ringawhakamau, ka whakairihia taku tauera, taku wai ki te pae, taku wati, me taku taputapu kaute anō hoki. Ko ngā kaikuti hipi katoa ka whakairihia ā rātau wati kia kite rātau i te wā kia mōhio ai e hia hipi kai te kutia i ngā wā katoa.

E rima miniti ki te whitu karaka te wā, ka tīmata ai ā te whitu, heoi anō ngā pakeke ka whakakāngia ā rātau mīhini, ka kuhu ai ki ō rātau pēne, tiki rēme ai. He rite tā rātau pēnā te kōrero mai a aku tāina, tēnā ka tīmata anō te katoa. Ka kuhu au ki te pēne, 6.56am te whakaatu mai a taku wati. He tangata tāroaroa ahau, ā, tā te mea he rēme kai te kutia me tūpiko, ā, ko mamae hai kai māku mō te roanga o te rangi. He noho wiriwiri, whawhai nei nō taku rēme tuatahi, ka kō atu i te rima miniti e kuti ana. Kua werawera katoa kē ahau, ā, kāre anō te Rā kia puta i tana rua.

Kuhu atu, puta mai, ā, kua pau te hawhe hāora e kuti ana. Ka huri mai a Rūpene ki a au (tētahi o aku tāina) ka mea mai, ‘E hoa, kua panonihia tō kata?'

‘E hē, mutu ana tēnei rēme ka panonitia.'

Ka tohutohu mai ia ki a au, ‘Nā konā koe e pōturi haere ana, ka pūnukihaere ngā kata, ka kaha wiriwiri haere anō ngā rēme. I ia tekau mā rima miniti me panoni kia noho koi.'

Ka mihi atu au ki taku taina ka haere tonu. E ai ki taku taputapu kaikaute, e tekau mā rua anake kua oti i a au te kuti. Ko te whāinga ia kia tekau mā toru neke atu rānei i ia hawhe hāora kia eke rawa au ki te rua tekau mā rima mō te hāora, ā, ka pērā anō mō te hāora tuarua. E rima tekau te aro mō ia wāhanga, ā, hui katoa e whā ngā wāhanga, nā, ki te eke atu au ki te rima tekau mō ia wāhanga kua rua rau te mutunga iho mō te rangi kotahi.

Mea ake, ka rongo nei au ki te tangi a te tīkera, ā, ka huri au ki taku matawā e mea ana, e 8.56am te wā. Kāre anō au kia eke ki te whā tekau mā ono kua mōhio mārika ahau nō hea rawa e eke ki te rima tekau rēme i tēnei te wāhanga tuatahi nei.

Ka tae ki te 9.00am ka haere atu ngā kaikuti ki te horoi ringaringa, ka hipa mai ai aku tāina ka matai atu ki taku kaute me te pukukata ki a rāua anō. E whā tekau mā whitu anake kua kuti i a au.

Nō mātau katoa e noho ana ki te kai me te kapu tī ka kōrero tautoko mai taku taina a Matiu ka mea ai, ‘Ko ō waewae te mea nui e hoa, kia noho tau te rēme engari ka kore te rēme e noho tau ki te kore ō waewae e tū ki ōna wāhi tika.'

Ka hōmai anō e ia tētahi o āna tino heru mō te hāora tuatahi o te wāhanga.

‘E hoa, he tino heru tēnei, nā ina whai koe i aku tohutohu ka eke rā koe ki te rima tekau'.

Wai ka mōhio, wai ka tohu ka tika hoki āna kōrero. E rima tekau mā toru te otinga iho. Hui katoa kua eke ki te kotahi rau rēme. Ko te pae tata kei te kitea.

He kotahi hāora te roa mō te kainui o te rā. Mutu ana mātau ā mātau kai ka takoto ki te papa kia paku moe i mua i te wāhanga tuatoru.

Nā te mea ka wera ake i te ahiahi ka kaha ake ai te werawera a ngā rēme i raro i ngā wūru, me te aha, pēnei me te maripi e kuhu ana i te pata te kuti mai, ā, ko te tikanga ia ka tere anō te kutikuti.

Me te pūru i te kēti taku tīmatanga, ka pau te hawhe hāora, e tekau mā ono kua oti i a au. Ka huri au ki te panoni i taku kata ka kuhu anō ai au ki te pēne. Ka kumea te rēme i waho i te pēne ka tau ia ki raro, ina kukumea e ahau taku aho kia kāngia ai taku mīhini, ka whana anō te rēme, ā, ka kati tētahi wahanga o tana waewae. Ka puta hīrere kaha te toto i tana waewae. Me tū au ki te whakatika i a ia, engari kāore aku ngira hai whakapūnotinoti i te rēme ka tono ai au ki taku taina. Koia tēnei tētahi āhuatanga ka puta i te kuti hipi e kore e taea te karo, ka pā atu ki ngā toki anō hoki.

Heoi anō, nā te kaha o te totō mai o te toto ka roa taku mahi e whakapūnotinoti ana i te rēme, ā, kua huri te tae o taku tīmatanga pai. Ka mutu te wāhanga tuatoru nei e whā tekau anake ngā rēme i kuti i a au. Me wāhanga tere te wāhanga whakamutunga e haere ake nei kia eke ai au ki te rua rau, me ono tekau rawa.

Ka kai au i āku toenga kai hai whakakaha ake anō i taku tinana, ā, ka whakapono ki a au anō ka tarea marika e ahau te ono tekau. Tēnā, ka whakakāngia anōtia taku mīhini kutikuti, ka kuhu ki te mahi.

Ka pau tētahi hāora kotahi kua eke au ki te rua tekau mā rima engari kai te rongo rawatia taku tuarā o raro ki te mamae, ā, he totitoti te āhua o taku hīkoi ki roto i te pēne. He tekau mā rima miniti e toe ana kua tau aku whakaaro e kore au e whakatutuki i a au te rua rau i tēnei rā. Ka whakaweto moata ngā pākeke i ā rātau mīhini kutikuti, taro kau iho ka pēnā hoki ahau.

Ko tā te rangatira o te kēnge nei, ko Matiu, he tāpiri te katoa o ngā hipi kua kutia e tēnā, e tēnā kia kite ai ia e hia katoa mō te rangi, kātahi ka hoatu ai e ia ki te kaikirimana me te kaipāmu, waihoki ka whakataurite ki ō mātau ake kaute kia tika. Heoi anō, ko tāna ki a au, ‘He rā anō kei tua!'

Ka kuhu mai te kaipāmu kia mihia mātau mō te kounga o te kutikuti, ā, e rua pouaka pia kai ōna ringaringa e mau ana. Ko tā tōku pāpā i ngā wā katoa ki a mātau, ‘Ehara i te mea ko te nui o ngā hipi ka kutia, manohi anō ko te kounga o te mahi kia whakaae anō te kaipāmu tō haere ki tōna pāmu.'

E hia mai nei ngā kaikuti ka aro kē ki te nui ka waiho ki rāhaki te kounga o te mahi, me te aha, kua kore e whakaae anō rātau ki taua pāmu rā.

Ao ake, ka moata anō taku oho, ā, ka whakaaro nei au, nāku tēnei rā. Tā te mea kai te hoki anō ki taua pāmu rā, kai reira tonu ā mātau taputapu e iri ana. Tōna ānini nei te māhunga i aku kai waipiro i taenehi otirā, kaha mahi, kaha whakangahau. Ko tētahi anō kōrero a taku pāpā ki a au nō hea e warewaretia, ‘Me kaha te penapena moni, ka taea te whakangahau, ka taea anōtia te penapena – otirā, me kaha noa ake tētahi i tētahi.' Kua whakairo mai tēnā ki taku rae.

Ko te painga atu he waiata o ēnei rā kai te whakatangi mai, ā, ka tere ake taku kutikuti. Nō taenehi rā, i ngā pakeke te mana whakahaere o ngā waiata erangi i tēnei rā kua huri taua mana ki ngā pūru taitama. Pai ki a au a Tui Teka, a Dennis Marsh mā erangi mō te rangi katoa, auare ake.

Ka mutu ana te wāhanga tuatahi e rima tekau mā rima ngā rēme kua oti kē i a au te kuti mai, ā, ka mihi mai aku taina. Ka pēnā anō hoki i te wāhanga tuarua, me te aha, kai te ara tika au e rere ana.

Ko tā te kaiwhakakīkī pēne, he whakakīkī haere i ngā pēne kia noho kī i ngā wā katoa. Ka mutu, ko tā te kaipāmu he āia mai ngā hipi mai i waho ki roto i te hēti kia kaua te kaiwhakakīkī pēne e puta atu ki waho, te tikanga. I te mea ka roa te kaipāmu e ngaro atu ana, ā, e mimiti haere ana ngā rēme e toe ana ki roto i te hēti ka whakaaro ake te poi rā kia puta kia āia mai anō ētahi ki rō hēti. Kāore āna kurī hai āwhina, ā, tē whākī atu ia ki taku taina – te rangatira o te kēnge. Heoi anō, ka puta ia ki waho ka huakina te kēti kai reira ngā rēme e taki noho ana, mea ake, ka kaha heke mai te ua, me te aha, mākūkū katoa ngā rēme e whāwhai haere ana i ngā rāihe.

Ka hoki mai te poi rā ki roto i te hēti ka horokokū tana whākī atu ki taku taina, ā, ka kōhetengia ia. Ka haere atu taku taina ki ngā pakeke kaikuti kātahi, ki taku taina tuarua ka rua, a, ka mutu ki a au me ana rongo kino. Ahakoa riri ana ahau, ka tau anō te hari ki roto i taku ngākau nā te mamae hoki o taku tuarā otirā, kāre au i paku whakaatu atu.

Heoi anō, ka hoki ana ahau ki te kāinga ka mea mai taku pāpā ki a au ‘ēkene ka panoni koe me tētahi kaikuti tere ake kia mutu rawatia te kēnge ngā rēme āpōpō.'

E kotahi mano, waru rau, ono tekau ngā rēme i whakaoti i a mātau i te rangi tuatahi engari tēnei rā he toru rau, ono tekau te rerekētanga iho. Hui katoa, toru mano, toru rau, ono tekau i roto i ngā rā e rua, ka mutu, e kotahi mano, ono rau, whā tekau kai te toe mai. Kātahi ka mea mai ai taku pāpā, ‘Ko ngā tāriana anō hoki e waru tekau hai kutikuti mā koutou, eaoia he Pole Dorset te momo. O ngā hipi katoa, ko tēnei momo kai runga mō te kaha, te nui, te riri, te taumaha. Tēnā me tau tō kuti i ēnei.'

Mōhio pai ana ki tēnei tū hipi, inā hoki i a au e mahi ana hai kaiwhakakīkī pēne, he mahi nui ia kia āia noa ēnei ki roto i ngā pēne, ā, me tūpato anō hoki kei kotahi atu ki ō waewae me ōna hāona.

Ka huri ahau ki taku pāpā ka mea e hia ngā rēme i oti i a au i te wāhanga tuatahi me te wāhanga tuarua. Ka huri ōna whakaaro ka mea ai, ‘Ka pai, mēnā rānei ki ō whakaaro ka pēnā anō koe āpōpō ka tukuna koe hai kaikuti tonu ki reira. Ki te kore koe e eke, me noho tonu koutou ki reira kia oti rā anō te mahi.'

Ka whakakoikoihia āku heru, ā, mutu ana taku kai ka kotahi atu au ki taku moenga, moe ai. Taua āhua anō, ka matika moata, ka nui taku parakuihi heoi anō aku whakaaro kei te koi hoki rā. He tino wera nō te rā ka whakarite ai au i taku mīhini hau hai tāwhiriwhiri nōku i a au e kuti ana.

E rua miniti ki te whitu karaka ka whakakāngia taku mīhini kuti ka kuhu ai au ki te pēne. Puta atu ana, kotahi atu ki te mahi. Panaia ai au taku rēme ki te putanga rua ka mātai atu au ki taku wati, kātahi anō ka huri ki te whitu karaka, tau ana! Ka whakaaro ake ki te pēnā taku haere, tētahi i ia rua miniti ka toru tekau mō te hāora kotahi te kaute, ā, e ono tekau te mutunga iho.

Kai ai me te kapu tī, ka paku tīraha me te whātorotoro anō hoki i tōku tuarā, ka haere anō ngā mahi. Ahakoa e tangi tarawē ana taku tuarā ki a au me koke.

Nā te wera hoki o te rā, ahakoa ko te ata tonu, ka pau katoa ōku wai te inumia.

Ka tae ki te mutunga o te wāhanga tuarua e toru tekau mā waru anake ngā rēme kua kutia e au.

‘E tama, tō koretake hoki,' te kōrero mai a taku taina ki a au.

Ehara ehara, koira anō hoki ōku whakaaro kai roto i taku hinengaro.

Heoi anō, kai anō ai me te āhua roa ake o te tīraha iho ka whai kaha ake anō mō te wāhanga tuatoru. Me rima tekau mā rua neke atu rānei te whāinga, me nui ake i tērā tā te mea ka mutu moata me ngā rēme kia whakaoti anō ai i ngā tāriana.

Whāwhai ana taku kuhu ki rō pēne i ia mutunga rēme, ā, ka tae ake ki te mutunga o te hāora tuatahi, e toru tekau i kuti i a au engari ko tōna tuahuru te āhua. Mea ake, ka rongo au ki te tangi a te tīkera e whiowhio tangi ana me taku mōhio anō ko te rēme e kuti ana au ināia tonu nei tāku whakamutunga i tēnei wāhanga.

Ka mataitia e au ki taku kaikaute, e ono tekau mā rima te otinga iho. E kotahi rau, ono tekau mā toru katoa, nā reira e toru tekau mā whitu anake kai te toe. Māna ia, ākuni kua mutu katoa ngā rēme i roto pea i te hawhe hāora nā reira ka kore au e eke ki te rua rau anō i tēnei rā. Ka āta kautehia ngā toenga rēme me te aha, e rima tekau mā rima mā te katoa, tāpirihia ngā tāriana. Heoi anō, ina tāpirihia e taku taina ngā tatau ka kite iho a ia ka taea e au mēnā kai te whakaae ngā pakeke māku ngā rēme e whakaoti, mā te tokowhā e tīmata ki ngā tāriana. Ka whakaaehia.

Kuhu atu puta mai ka pau tētahi hāora, ā, e toru tekau mā tahi kua oti i a au te kutikuti. E ono kai te toe mai, ka mutu, ko te pae tata e pūkana mai ana ki a au, waihoki e pērā anō ngā rēme kai te toi mai – taku waimaria hoki!

Ahakoa kua roa taku tuarā e mamae ana, kātahi nei ka tino ū ngā niho o mamae, ka totitoti ai rawa atu nei taku haere. Anō he mutunga kore engari ka tae rawa ake au ki taku rēme whakamutunga me taku pōturi hoki. Ina hoki kua oti kē i ērā atu kaikuti ngā tāriana, kai ōku tahi rātau e tautoko mai ana. Ka whiu whakamuri te rēme ki raro ki te putanga rua, ā, taku tūtanga ake ka hōmai e taku taina he patara pia hai whakaoti atu māku.

Mai i tēnei rangi ka āhua uaua ake te eke ki te rua rau hipi anō, engari taro kau iho ka māmā engari anō taku toru rau … he rā anō kei tua.