Born Valentines Day 1968 to Ngapuhi, Poroti & Te Uri O Hau, Pouto.
No rural upbringing for me. "Townie" I would be best described. But my mother tryed her hardest to accomodate our cultural needs, as our father did for our work ethics.
I am no scholar, I achieved reading and writing from school & everything else from life experience. I love to write poetry, songs & stories, I should write more than I do.
I have 3 children and a husband I adore, who supports me silently. We live on a livestock farm in rural Northland, New Zealand. I have milked cows and seen more shit than a psychiatrist!. I have worked with children on a project to beautify the local primary school, by completing two murals.
I have been published in BlackMailPress and Poetry Downunder.
All it takes is a Whakaaro - Just a thought - to inspire, to motivate, to create.
Uncivilised Natives
Do
You
Think it is acceptable
To hang our bodies from trees
Watch their flesh drip from their bones
And
Cry over them and cry over them
To dislodge their bones from the branches which hold them
Only
To bury them in tombs of stone
And it is our culture that does this
Uncivilised Natives, Uncivilised Native
Be
Reborn into religion
And
Slice free their culture
Their inappropriate beliefs
Ways not acceptable by our pakeha counterparts
Cut out their tongues
And
Cover their bodies with cloth
Strip them of their kainga
And
Introduce them to the poisons that rot their minds
And it is your culture that does this
So civilised, Not criticised
This little town
The town has the wind at its rooftops
And people quickly but quietly rush to their double-parked cars
No lights exist in this little town
Just islands with sails that blow with the force of rebellion
The elderly cover the streets with their footsteps while others
Ride in chairs with umbrella in tow
The town has a carpet of clouded overcast looming
Perhaps rain is near
Maybe the wind will keep it at bay
Dirty cars and courier vans
Run over the tar seal
Just been from their long and dusty rural journey
And it’s just becoming busy at 11.27
While the salty dog bait truck indicates to take a right
Beep Beep Beep Beep
Means I’m in reverse
This little town has the wind at its rooftops
Maybe it will rain
The undesirable
Who are you
The undesirable
Your uneducated face
You label
The one with no degree
Born a pedigree
Blood wealth
Means nothing without the paper that says you can
Who are you the undesirable
That one that walks the same road
That looks to contribute
Wants to participate, communicate, facilitate
The debate
Who are you the undesirable
First inline to collect the dole
Top of the roll
For future in-mates
Build up enforcement
Make the way clear to house us
Who are you the undesirable
Born to one parent
One DPB
One food grant
One housing corp house
2,3,4,5, siblings
2,3,4,5 daddy’s babies
Who are you the undesirable
Take friends to the party
Take a drink
Take a pill
Wrong bill
Shot dead
Disappeared
Who?!
You?!
Shadows
As the glass door splits to open
We enter
A hand to lead
Rushed on with poto steps
A wall of Tangata open like whero Tangaroa
Not one touch is felt
Eyes hide the hidden
Lips drop
Words unspoken
Lights heat up your face
A dark punishing glow inspires a look to find
Heart beats faster,
Once eyes find the shadows, which make your shapes
Tears want to flow…….but
Stomach resets you
The korero of who you are is embraced by silence
And the weri lets you leave.
She is silent
As she feels the hand of her uncle slide up her leg
Slip his two fingers inside her vagina
Suck her non-existent breasts
She is silent
She has no movement
Open mouth
Tears run like wet windows with the view of cold outside
Gab gab gabbing
His hot moans
Rub rub rubbing, his hard instrument with her hand
Shshshshshshshsh
Interrupted by sounds approaching
A kiss on the forehead
“That’s a good girl”
He leaves the room and
She
Rolls over and curls up.
