Justice and Utu (25 page)

N
APIER, THE FOLLOWING WEEK

M
at sat at the kitchen table, his head bowed. It was dawn, and he was in his pyjamas. He'd got in to Napier the previous evening, collapsed into his bed and slept. Now it was dawn.

He raised his head when his father sat down opposite and pushed a glass of water at him. ‘So Mat, what happened?'

Mat closed his eyes. He'd been dreading this. Especially as his mother was sitting on the other side of the table, her arms wrapped about herself and shoulders shaking. Neither of his parents looked like they'd slept. Mum had driven down to Napier the moment she'd heard he was back, driving through the night. Tama had clearly told her what he knew, while Mat had been sleeping. Now it was time to reveal the rest.

He considered lying. And discarded the notion. It would be wrong to be so cruel. His parents loved him; they deserved to know the worst. ‘Asher Grieve and Sebastian Venn are
dead. But they stole the Treaty of Waitangi, and some of their followers escaped with it.'

Tama looked at his ex-wife. Colleen looked very pale.

This must be what the parents of soldiers go through.

He had to tell them the rest. ‘Damien didn't make it.' His voice sounded dead as it filled the silence of the kitchen. Both of his parents knew Damien now. They both liked him. But more than that, it was proof that Aotearoa could be deadly, and that their son could be next. Mat fully expected a tirade from Tama, or a shrieking ultimatum from Colleen, forbidding him to go there ever again.

Neither said a word. They just stared at him, and then Colleen reached around the corner of the table, and pulled him into an awkward embrace. He breathed in the smell of her hair and perfume, and fought tears.

‘Is it over now?' she whispered. When he shook his head, she began to sob.

An hour of questions and answers crawled by, while the morning sun rose and sent shafts of dirty light through the gauzy kitchen curtains. Just questions about what had happened from Tama, while Colleen dabbed at her eyes and clung to Mat's arm.

Mat didn't have the courage to ask the questions he really wanted to.
How do you ask your parents if you are really their child? Was my Gift spontaneous, or do I too have a dark secret?
He let them go unasked. They would have to wait.

Finally silence fell, and they just looked at each other with hollowed-out eyes and souls.

Eventually, Tama spoke. ‘I suppose you better see this. It came yesterday.' Tama pulled a piece of paper from the
drawer, and pushed it at Mat. It was handwritten, possibly with a quill or an antique fountain pen, and it was entirely in Maori. A flowing, clean script with firm, graceful strokes.

Mat looked up at Tama questioningly. ‘What is it?'

Tama gave a tiny, bleak smile. ‘It's a marriage proposal.'

Mat felt his jaw drop. His mother gave a tiny cry and her fingernails almost drew blood on Mat's arm.

Tama tapped the letter. ‘So, who's Aroha?'

This story contains a number of real historical personages. A quick précis of their lives follows, but for more information, look them up online or check out a good encyclopaedia or history book. (Michael King's
The Penguin History of New Zealand
is especially good.)

 

Governor George Grey is probably New Zealand's most well-known governor from our pre-independence days. He had two terms as governor, and was a complex man. He took a great deal of interest in Maori culture, compiling one of the first collections of folk tales. In his first term (as New Zealand's third governor) he gained considerable respect among settlers and Maori alike through ending the fighting in the North with Hone Heke and the Nga Puhi, and restraining the land-grabbers among the settlers, to some extent. His second term was more controversial, as the British had decided to suppress the Kingitanga movement and flooded New Zealand with troops (at the time, Britain's largest foreign troop deployment). The Taranaki
Wars were brought to a successful conclusion, but Grey lost his job for trying to obstruct the removal of the regiments by his superiors in England, who wanted them back home. After a stint in South Africa, he returned to New Zealand and was elected Premier in 1877. His term as Premier is not well regarded, his style being too authoritarian and manipulative, and, after much conflict in Parliament, he called an early election in 1879 and lost power. He retired from politics in 1890, and died in England in 1898.

 

Captain William Hobson is most well known as the first governor of New Zealand. He was unwell at the time, and died soon afterwards from a stroke. The Treaty was hastily drafted, but nevertheless remains the closest thing New Zealand has to a constitution, vaguely worded though it is. Hobson found dealing with politics and the press far more difficult than the unquestioning obedience of the navy: his term as governor was troubled, and his management of the nation's affairs weak and muddled. He had, however, been a fine naval commander, serving in the Napoleonic Wars (he was part of the flotilla that took Napoleon into final exile), and having a dashing period of fighting pirates in the West Indies, where he was captured and escaped twice, and fought off yellow fever three times. It was these illnesses that weakened his eventual ability to deal with the governorship in New Zealand.

The phrase ‘Hobson's Choice' — ‘this or nothing' — has nothing to do with Captain Hobson: it comes from a stable-owner in England, Thomas Hobson (1544–1631), who drove a hard bargain.

 

Hone Heke is famous for being a rebel against the British in early New Zealand. He was, however, instrumental in ensuring the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi took place, as he saw the Treaty as being advantageous to his tribe. When the perceived advantages did not eventuate, he rebelled, and repeatedly cut down the flagstaff at Kororareka. During the largest assault, the town itself was almost completely destroyed by fire. Heke eventually reached terms with the British, but died of tuberculosis soon afterwards. He is remembered as a clever and articulate chief, with great personal magnetism, but highly volatile. He remains a hero to some and a villain to others; one of New Zealand's most colourful characters.

 

Bishop Jean Baptiste Pompallier was the first Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland. He was a prominent figure in early New Zealand, leading the Catholic missionary effort in rivalry to the Anglican missionaries of the British. The strong association of Church and Crown meant that he was often at loggerheads with the British leadership. He died in France after returning there in his old age, but his remains have since been re-interred in Motuti, Northland.

 

William ‘Bully' Hayes was a scandalous figure, an American with a reputation for shipping illegal labour and skipping port to avoid debt. He operated in the South Seas in the 1850s, alleged by some to engage in piracy on the side. He settled for a time in Arrowtown as a taverner in the 1860s, later moving to Nelson and Christchurch. He was murdered by a crewman in 1877 in Micronesia.

 

Also appearing in this story was Judge JS Williams, a real-life judge of early New Zealand, who was entrusted with the trial of Minnie Dean, the only woman to receive the death penalty in New Zealand. James Freeman was a real-life personage, too, his reputation somewhat scandalous. Also Tamure, a possibly mythic tohunga of the Waikato, and his daughter (I couldn't find her name; in the re-tellings I found references only to ‘Tamure and his daughter', so I went with ‘Aroha'). They are credited with killing the evil tohunga makutu Kiki, who also makes an appearance in this tale. And regular readers will know of Puarata; for newcomers, read ‘The Wooden Head' legend — and my first novel,
The Bone Tiki
, of course!

 

The New Zealand Warriors is a real team competing in the National Rugby League, the only team outside of Australia to do so. In no way do I believe they would knowingly let a nasty piece of work like Byron Kikitoa into their team, if they knew what he was really like. Nor would they accept investment from someone like Sebastian Venn if his true colours were known. Go the Warriors!

Everyone else appearing in this story is fictional.

There are a few Maori words used in this story and its prequels. Most are explained in the text, but here they are with a definition.

Please note that there are subtle variations of Maori usage in different regions of New Zealand. The definitions, below, are based on those given in PM Ryan's
Dictionary of Modern Maori
(Heinemann, 4th edition, 1994; republished as
The Raupo Dictionary of Modern Maori
, Penguin, 2008).

 

Aotearoa:
The traditional Maori name for New Zealand, although it did not assume wide usage until the Europeans arrived. It roughly translates to ‘land of the long white cloud'. In the story I have used the word to signify the ‘ghost world' of New Zealand mythology, history and spirits.

 

Haere ra:
‘Farewell.'

 

Haka:
A traditional Maori dance. We mostly think of it as a war-dance, which is a sub-type of haka called a peruperu and is performed by warriors as a challenge to enemies prior to battle. However, a haka can also be performed in celebration or to entertain, and not just by men. Different tribes have their own haka.

 

Iwi:
A tribe or race of people.

 

Kehua:
One of the many terms for a fairy or goblin in Maori mythology. For the purposes of this story, ‘kehua' denotes
spirit-goblins that can animate earth or wood, appearing as clay-like goblin creatures. Only about sixty centimetres tall, they are more mischievous than evil, but might be enslaved by a tohunga makutu for evil purposes.

 

Koru:
A carved spiral pattern based upon the unfurling fern frond. It symbolizes new life, growth, strength and peace. The koru is a common motif of Maori art.

 

Makutu:
Evil magic.

 

Mana:
Prestige, or charisma, or honour, or dignity, or all of these virtues; mana encompasses the personal qualities of leadership and pre-eminence within a tribe and people.

 

Manaia:
A mythological creature, also a sea horse, and a common motif in Maori carving. In the Aotearoa of this story, I have used the word to denote sea-taniwha, of a more elemental nature than the lake and river taniwha encountered elsewhere in the series.

 

Maori:
A Polynesian race that settled New Zealand, probably from around 800 years ago (the timing is unknown and somewhat controversial). They settled primarily in the North Island of New Zealand, and on adapting to the cooler lands, thrived and multiplied until the coming of the Europeans after Cook's journeys in the late eighteenth century. The nineteenth century saw increasing European settlement and conflict, until Europeans dominated numerically, and colonized the country.

 

Marae:
The central place of a Maori community. In a pre-European settlement, it was the central area of a village, and contained the meeting halls and central courtyard where social gatherings and events would occur. In the modern world, a marae is often in the countryside, and will contain a meeting hall and lawn outside for gatherings on special occasions and the funerals of noted community members.

 

Mere:
A traditional Maori club, which could come in many forms and be made from stone, bone or wood. The term patu also means club. For the purposes of this story, I have used the word ‘mere' to denote blunt, heavy clubs which would be used to bludgeon an enemy, and I have used ‘patu' to denote lighter-edged clubs which would slash an enemy.

 

Moko:
A traditional Maori tattoo. Maori have a strong tradition of tattooing and this can cover much of the body, including the face. The patterns and motifs are strongly traditional. The carving of moko was a very painful ordeal, and formed part of the rites of passage of a young man or woman of rank — the more moko one had, the more mana and rank was implied.

 

Pa:
A fortified village. Pa were normally found on hill tops, encircled by several rings of wooden palisades and, once guns became widespread, also entrenched.

 

Pakeha:
Traditionally, a Maori term for foreigners, although these days it has come to mean New Zealanders of European
descent (primarily British, but also Continental Europeans such as Germans, Dutch and Scandinavians).

 

Patu:
A club — see ‘mere'.

 

Patupaiarehe:
One of the many terms for fairy or goblin in Maori mythology. For the purposes of this story, ‘patupaiarehe' denotes pale-skinned, red-haired vampire-like creatures, which are dangerous to men.

 

Piupiu:
A flax kilt.

 

Pohutukawa:
A large coastal tree. Its red flowers appear around December, so it is often called the New Zealand Christmas tree.

 

Pounamu:
Greenstone — a jade found in New Zealand, often used for the most precious ornaments.

 

Pou-kapua:
A carved ceremonial post.

 

Rangatira:
The chief of a tribe.

 

Ruanuku:
A wizard; as in ‘tohunga ruanuku'. Unlike a tohunga makutu, a tohunga ruanuku's magic is more wholesome, and not aligned to evil.

 

Taiaha:
The traditional Maori long-club. A taiaha looked a little like a spear with a carved point, but this was deceptive. It was not a spear, and was never thrown. In fact the ‘point'
was the handle, and the thick haft of the weapon was the striking part. It was used more like a two-handed sword, and had a tradition of fighting moves associated with it. In combat, the pointed end was often used to apply the coup de grâce to a stunned opponent.

 

Tangata whenua:
The People of the Land. The term can take a wide meaning such as all Maori, or a narrower view such as the people of a certain region. It implies a right to dwell upon that land.

 

Tangi:
A Maori funeral, which can last for several days, depending upon the importance of the deceased.

 

Taniwha:
A taniwha is generally seen as a protective spirit, associated with (especially) waterways, but also with other natural landmarks like caves and hills. Taniwha commonly appear in tales as giant lizard-like creatures, or massive serpents. They are also associated with great white sharks (mako-taniwha). They are sometimes hostile, sometimes protectors of a village or place.

 

Te Reo:
The Maori language. There are many tribal variants around a core language.

 

Tiki
(or
hei-tiki
): A tiki is a carving of a primal human form, usually male. Tiki are worn as a neck pendant, and can be made from wood, bone or stone. They have a great deal of cultural significance and mana, and are often treasured artefacts passed down through the generations.

 

Tipua:
One of the many terms for fairy or goblin in Maori mythology. For the purposes of this story, ‘tipua' denotes small, wiry, pale-skinned, goblin-like creatures, about a metre tall, with primitive weapons, living in wild places and mostly hostile to men.

 

Tiriti:
Treaty.

 

Toa:
A warrior.

 

Tohunga:
A Maori priest or wise man (they were always male), similar to a druid or shaman. The tohunga preserved tales, legends and genealogies, and were the cultural repositories of their people. They were also looked to for guidance in astrology and as intercessors with the gods, and appear in legends as powerful ‘wizards' with magical powers, some good and some evil. The term can also cover experts in skilled traditional fields like carving, navigation and canoe-making. The term tohunga makutu denotes a tohunga who uses black magic.

 

Turehu:
One of the many terms for fairy or goblin in Maori mythology. For the purposes of this story, ‘turehu' denotes shape-shifting creatures, who appear goblinesque in their natural form. They are mischievous, and might be dangerous if antagonized, but are friendly if respected.

 

Utu:
A Maori concept of justice, revolving around dealing with another in accordance to how they treat you — ‘good for good, ill for ill'.