To my favourite muse

Hello my little one I see you again but do you see me? You write and with what seems like effortless ease your elegant prose spills out again to tease us, to test your readers and baffle their senses as flower petals and dirt are thrown in our faces and every word that pleases us is accompanied by one to negate those very feelings. You test us by revealing all, but staying your hand, keeping us wondering and yet leaving us helpless spectators to something beautiful as we agonise over every cut of the knife.

Ahu and Moana visit Hauku (No 43)

The continuing story of Ahu and Ahuahu her husband in a Maori village in Aotearoa before European settlement of New Zealand. (Missed an episode? Click on Ahu in the labels bar for previous posts.)

Ahu and Moana reached the village where the kaka calls by mid morning. The whares were surrounded by tall trees and the wind whispered overhead as though calling out that strangers had come. Ahu asked the first person she saw if she knew of Hauku who had come from Gannet Island village. The woman nodded and pointed to a house almost hidden in the trees. Ahu thanked her and turned to Moana “Do you remember the village?”

Moana shook her head “It is a long tome since we visited, I was much younger then”. Ahu smiled at that thought.

They approached the house and Ahu nodded to Moana to call her mother.. “Mother are you there; it is your daughter Moana,” called Moana.

There was movement inside the house and her mother came out calling her name, "Moana", over and over again. They greeted each other with affection then Moana turned and indicated Ahu by her side. “You remember Ahu who married Ahuahu don’t you?” Hauku nodded fiercely and came up to Ahu and rubbed noses with her. “Come in the two of you. I thought I had lost Moana” she said to Ahu. They knelt down on the mats on the floor and everyone wanted to talk at the same time. They paused and Ahu said, “You can see that Moana is safe. She is living with me and Ahuahu and we are happy for her to stay with us. She is safe there and can help me and Hatiti who lives with us, with our children. You do not have to worry for her.” Ahu paused and then said “Ahuahu and I are sorry to hear that Moana’s father was killed. But no doubt you feel safe now back in your home village.”

Hauku nodded, “Yes, I do feel safe here, it feels like home but this house belongs to a widower who has not been here long either, he lets me stay here with my little ones as there is no where else for me to go.”

At this Moana glanced at Ahu but said nothing. Ahu replied, “It is good you have somewhere safe to live. Have you no relatives left in the village?”

“Oh yes, I stayed with them to start with but now I can be useful here and we do not crowd out my sister’s family.”

Moana then spoke up. “Ahuahu told me to go to him and Ahu if I felt I was in danger when he visited Gannet Island many days ago. He looked for Kiri Hi’lei’s wife when he was told that he had died. Is she here also?”

“She was, but now has moved on. No one knows where she has gone.”

“If ever she does return, tell her that both Ahuahu and I grieve for Hi’ilei.” said Ahu. Then as Moana gave her the gift they had brought with them they heard a sound outside.

“That will be the widower I told you about, his name is Torangi.” said Hauku.

Torangi was a common name for men and Ahu thought nothing of it until an older man came in through the doorway, it was Torangi, Hinewai’s husband.

All at once time stood still for Ahu, she remembered that terrible day when Hinewai was caught making love to a local boy and Torangi had discovered them and beaten the boy up. How Torangi and Hinewai were considered unfit to live in the village and were expelled and now she was standing face to face with him.

The women rose together in respect for the man of the house, but Ahu said no word to indicate that she knew him. He greeted Hauku affectionately and nodded to Moana and Ahu. He recognised her but did not say a word either.

Hauku explained why Ahu and Moana were there and then Ahu respectfully spoke to Torangi. “May I speak with you while Hauku and Moana talk together alone before we return to Black Sands? Perhaps you can tell me about the village here?”

“Yes, let us walk in the forest we may even see the noisy kakas.” He replied with a smile. Moana and her mother thought that Ahu was just being polite and told them not to be too long and then they would eat together.

“Thank you Ahu for not recognising me and asking questions in front of them. I will tell Hauku everything one day but now I am so contented to have a woman in the house that is closer to my age who wants to stay home and look after me.”

Smiling Ahu said “Torangi; it is so dark here in the shade of these trees I am not sure who it is I am talking to. Please tell Hauku soon about your past; do not start your new life with secrets. I assume that Hinewai has run away from you?”

Torangi, nodded. “I do not think anyone will tame her. I grieve for her as she was so young and beautiful but she could never be truly mine. I am ashamed I could not make her happy after her first husband had beaten her.”

“Apart from telling Ahuahu I will be silent of your whereabouts and Moana knows nothing of you and your sad history with Hinewai. Even now I am sure she is telling her mother how happy she is because she has fallen in love for the first time.”

Whares - villages houses

Io says goodbye to her little Robin (No 12)

Synopsis

After being hijacked by the Greek goddess Io on the way home from Britain to Australia I found myself being charmed by her to such an extent I was now travelling the Pacific with her on a strange quest to find the legendary Pacific creator god Io, her namesake.

Missed an episode? Just click on Io in the Labels menu for the tale so far.

It was only when I found that Io was a consummate tourist did I start having suspicions about her real motive for this quest on behalf of the old Greek god hierarchy. She was revelling in the trip, the shops and the food and the wine and of course discovering new places that perhaps even she had never dreamed of. We had criss-crossed our way across the South Pacific and were enjoying a break from my fruitless and her non existent research for the Pacific god Io to spend a few days on a Fijian resort island a short sea plane flight from Lautoka. Io had pointed to the map and said “Let’s try a little island miles from anywhere.” I was going to say most Pacific islands are miles from anywhere but thought the better of it so we booked in for few days.

In utmost luxury and total decadence I suddenly twigged what this was all about. Those Greek gods were not interested in change, they merely kept up the pretence that everything was as it had always been. No wonder that Io and the Oracle had been happy to hang around for over a hundred years trying to find a suitable human to meet Zeus’s command to them to find a mortal that could go on a quest to search for something that was known already (or easily researched). It was a distraction from the endless boredom of being forgotten by the world of today. They knew that they were totally superfluous and they certainly didn’t care a hoot about a Pacific Io. It was only when she felt that sense of awe in Hawaii that she stopped pretending so she fled away from the evidence and decided to just do the touristy thing while I bumbled along in my trivial manner with my books, photos and pages of notes!

I was now totally torn between keeping my beautiful Io for selfish pleasure to that of confronting her with my suspicions. I had fallen for the trap by being bewitched by her, and had set out on my voyage of the Argo or something like it but without the same hardships.

On the night before we were due to fly back to Nadi in Fiji to then travel on to Auckland in New Zealand, we had dinner together. She knew straight away that I was going to talk seriously to her. She pouted and said. “When did you realise?”

“Probably before we set off from Australia but definitely as we left Hawaii” I responded.

“How did you keep it from me?”

I then told her how I kept her image in my mind at all time. How I breathed in the scent of her body and ran my fingers though her hair. I would nibble her ears and wrap my fingers round her calves or lay my head between her breasts whether I was with her or away from so if she read my thought she thought I could not take my mind off her which blanked out any suspicions that she may have had.

“Why exactly did you come here?” I asked.

“It was a thank you present from Zeus for all I had done over the years.”

“That was a bit late wasn’t it?”

She shook her head. “Time has no real meaning for the gods. Perhaps one day there will be another saga written; one about my travels with you which will be turned into an exciting tale but sadly it doesn’t have a happy ending. Why did you question everything? Why did you take a deviant line? We could have roamed the Pacific for years. Just why did you have to spoil it?”

Io looked as though she was going to cry as she went on. “I really loved you Robin, you were my best and gentlest lover of all and you know that now don’t you?” She paused here then whispered, “Well you really were the first but I couldn’t tell you that could I?”

“Was I? I could never remember; you always kept the best bits from me until Tonga.” I smiled sadly at her.

She reached out and put her fingers to my lips then touched me tenderly on the face and as she did so I felt an excruciating pain in my chest just as though I had been kicked by a bull, (OK a heifer perhaps). I knew my eyes were wide open but I couldn’t focus or breathe. I slumped to the floor and Io leaned over me and put her lips to mine for the last time and breathed into me or was she taking part of me with her? No, she whispered these words “apochairetismos kokkinolaimis mou “.

The resort staff came running up and tried to assist while Io slumped on the floor beside me weeping uncontrollably. I think she held my hand but I wasn’t sure as I was not there anymore I was already a miniscule dot of a star in the constellation of Taurus quite close to that of Io where she was happy for me to be.

apochairetismos kokkinolaimis mou – farewell my robin

Moana’s confession (No 42)

The continuing story of Ahu and Ahuahu her husband in a Maori village in Aotearoa before European settlement of New Zealand. (Missed an episode? Click on Ahu in the labels bar for previous posts.)

Both Ahu and Hatiti spoke to Ahuahu about Moana whilst she was playing with Tangaroa and the other children from the village in front of the houses. As they watched she seemed so young to for them to be talking about her fondness for the chief’s son Paikea and how she should be looked after now that she lived with them.

Ahuahu listened to the women talk and when they looked to him he was playing a hand game with Hekehoru who was on his lap. The women too had their babies with them, Hatiti was holding Aotea Ahu’s son who she had breast fed and Ahu was playing with Horowai Hatiti’s little girl. Ahu said, “Did you not want to discuss this?”

He lifted his face to theirs and smiled. “What you have learned I had already worked out. Paikea and Moana could not stop looking at each other when we returned the other day. The chief wanted to have her with him …to help his wives I expect, until I told him they were already looking at each other. As you say she will have to work very hard to catch his eye again with his father looking on and his mother and aunts checking her suitability. However despite what she says about not wanting to go to the village where the Kakas call. I think one of us should take her there to see her mother.”

Both women then shook their heads. “She does not want to be sent back there, Ahuahu.” protested Hatiti.

“She will not be sent back, Hatiti. She will visit her mother to assure her she is safe with us and that she has a home and work to do here. It will also help to show that she is becoming a responsible woman as you will persist in matchmaking.”

The two women agreed that he was right. They then started to discuss who should accompany her. In the end Ahu said it would be best that she went.

“Hatiti has never been there and is still feeding Aotea and I can see Ahuahu does not want to as Moana’s mother may not like the way that would look. We will tell Moana tonight and prepare to be at least two nights away.”

Hatiti then said “Look at the way Moana and Tangaroa play together they look so happy. Why couldn’t she stay young a little while longer?”

“Are you thinking of Hinewai, Hatiti?” asked Ahu.

Hatiti nodded sadly “Moana reminds me of her before she became a woman.”

Later that evening they told Moana of their decision. She protested at first but in the end she could see that it was a sensible thing for her to do.

“I will try to remember the way to get there.” said Ahu. “I only ever went there once when I was child it will be a bit of a search for us.”

“It is alright Ahu, I remember.” said Moana quietly.

“Oh Moana not another little lie, how many more are there?” asked Hatiti.

With tears in her eyes Moana said in a very small voice, “I think that is the last one.”

Ahu and Moana were gone early the next day. As it was still winter they had had cloaks on and carried baskets with food and knives, some dry firewood and moss for the journey and a present for Moana’s mother.

It was cold and windy but was not raining so they set a brisk pace heading west into the high country. They had long passed the Ngerengrere settlement and climbed higher still surrounded by an endless vista of ferns when Ahu said that they should stop for a meal as it was past midday even though they could not see the sun.

“Do you remember where we are Moana?”

“Yes, I think we may get there by nightfall but we may have to sleep out if it gets dark quickly.”

“Yes, we should stop well before dark as it is so cloudy in order to make camp and try to light a fire Moana.” replied Ahu.

They had just reached the edge of a tall forest when Ahu decided that they travelled far enough. They walked into the forest and made an encampment under a large tree clearing the ground and when Ahu had sent Moana off to find water she set about using the sticks and the string to start a fire. She extracted the dry moss from a package and placed it in a wooden dish. She then set up her fire making equipment and started to twirl the dry sticks in the little depression in the dish. Moana returned a little later with some water in some little bowls just as Ahu was teasing the dried moss into the centre to try to catch a spark. It took some time but eventually the sparks caught the moss and the dry leaves that Moana carefully placed in the bowl. Gradually the flames were fed with twigs and the fire was tipped onto the place prepared on the ground and it took hold.

After they had eaten their food and drunk the water from the stream Ahu decided they should sleep straight away with one cloak on the ground and one to cover them.

“We should be safe, Moana. So come under the cloak with me and we will keep warm.”

She wrapped her arms around Moana’s little body and said “Do you want to talk?”

Moana nestled into Ahu’s body and felt her warmth. “Ahu, tell me about men.”

“Men?”

“Yes, tell me what it is like to be with a man. I want to, but confess I do not know what to expect. I look at Paikea and I want him to touch me but do not know what will happen if he ever does.”

“Don’t hurry your life away, Moana. You are at an age now that you have started to feel differently, it is exciting and there will be laughter but there will be tears also. If I tell you now what I like, when you talk to Hatiti she may tell you something different. Both Hatiti and I love Ahuahu because he is a gentle man who treats us with care and consideration but we do not discuss details with the other. He is strong too but does not ever hurt us and is a good father. Do you want your husband to be gentle and to make you feel safe? “

“Yes, Ahu, and I want Ahuahu to be like a father to me now that mine has been killed in the fighting.”

“Just remember that the boys you meet may be just as worried as you when you are first alone together but then there are others that will not care. But do not expect him to behave as Ahuahu may do with me. You will know what makes you happy when it happens, when it does tell him so. Now try to sleep.”

"But I only want Paikea, Ahu."

Io on a desert island (No 11)

Synopsis

After being hijacked by the Greek goddess Io on the way home from Britain to Australia I found myself being charmed by her to such an extent I was now travelling the Pacific with her on a strange quest to find the legendary Pacific creator god Io, her namesake.

Missed an episode? Just click on Io in the Labels menu for the tale so far.

Now I am sure you don’t want me to recount a travelogue of our visits to Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga and then Fiji. But I must say that as tourists we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves we saw spectacular scenery, awesome waterfalls, met and spoke to scores of islanders or Io did as she was could speak any language. I am not sure she was asking them about the old religion but she certainly had them mesmerized and no wonder, she shone!

Me? I was just tongue tied! She loved the feasts and dancing displays which she thought were put on just for her. We swam in hotel pools, walked on deserted beaches and I even managed to get her into a little outrigger canoe for a paddle off a beach in Samoa. She was a bit frustrated that she couldn’t swim nude as there seemed that such activity was pretty much frowned on there.

All the while I juggled my duties as guide, researcher and her demands as her lover but as before I was denied the details of the last by Io wiping my memory after each encounter. Except that is for a wonderful feeling of love and warmth I experienced all the time I was with her.

However I found a luxury resort on in Tonga that had fales on the beach where we could stay in utmost privacy, just strolling over to the main resort when we needed to for drinks, dining and entertainment. It was on a tiny island remote from the main Island of Tongatapu and I could see an almost visible change in her demeanour. She relaxed. My guess was that she did not expect to be found by any of the enormous pantheon of Greek gods and their hangers on who were only too ready report back to Zeus and the others of who was doing what in their idle moments.

I had already done some research and found that according to legend Zeus had not actually made love to her. He only touched her finger which was enough to make her pregnant and she bore a child for him, her son Epaphus. Then recalling her warning that I was never to tell any of the other Greek gods of our sexual relationship I finally realised that this was all about face. Nobody, god or man had ever made love to her properly until me. Finger touching might be fun but even a Greek goddess feels like getting down to the real thing for once in her life.

“Io, who is going to find out? Surely if Zeus knows I am travelling with you he will suspect?”

At this Io laughed out loud. “No, no, it is not Zeus that I am worried about; he is always up to his bleary eyeballs with nymphs and maidens whenever he feels like it.” She paused and then continued “That is when he is not on the bottle. I think it was a matter of face with him that after Athena had me banished and chased by the gadfly when I did get to Egypt he was still determined to have me but was so hopelessly drunk that the best he could manage was a touch of the fingers. Oh, heaven’s I’ve done it again. I’ve told you another secret. And am I talking with an Australian accent?” She grinned then touched my fingers as a demonstration of what Zeus did. “No, no, it is not him; but do you know how many minor gods and goddesses are sneaking around looking for the dirty on anyone better than themselves. I couldn’t risk that. But now for the first time I feel that we are alone. As there is virtually no one here except the staff; I won’t wipe your memory now.”

I said not a word. All this was totally illogical to me but why argue? She had already stripped and was pulling at my tee shirt as her face crinkled with laughter.

Ahu and Hatiti talk to Moana (No 41)

The continuing story of Ahu and Ahuahu her husband in a Maori village in Aotearoa before European settlement of New Zealand. (Missed an episode? Click on Ahu in the labels bar for previous posts.)

Moana was still sleeping but Hatiti was already stirring and fetching the little ones to feed them as Ahu busied herself outside.

“We are so lucky to have the two houses next to each other perhaps we could join them together, Hatiti. Would you agree with that, as the other one is really the house that was built for you to live in?”

“I have never thought of it as my house, but our houses. Of course it would be a good idea to link the two. But let us not talk about that; tell me about Moana; should we be concerned that she lives with us now as she is almost a woman?”

“Let me tell you what Ahuahu told me last night Hatiti, before Moana wakes. Come we will sit outside.”

Ahu told Hatiti about young Moana the wild little girl now growing into a woman who had lived in Ahu’s old village at Gannet Island. She had run away from the conflict between to the two villages to their north with the encouragement of Ahuahu who had advised their village chief of her background. When Ahu told Hatiti about Moana’s eye on the chief’s son Paikea, Hatiti laughed out loud causing the baby at her breast to cry with surprise and both women giggled with the thought of this little 13 year old from a different village should aim so high. Then Ahu explained that Paikea himself was smitten.

“It is not surprising that the chief did not permit her to stay with them then.”

With that Moana came out to greet them. “Is it that late, Ahu?’ she said looking at the sky, “I must have needed that sleep.”

“Come and sit, Moana. Tell us your story and why you have come here. Ahuahu told me there has been more fighting. What has happened to your family? Do they know that you have come here?”

Ahu knew her father had been killed and that her mother had fled with the younger children but she needed Moana to tell the story again in case there was more that Ahuahu should know and to check if Moana was being truthful.

Moana recounted the tale exactly as she had told Ahuahu.

“Where do you think your mother has gone? Do you think she is safe with your brothers and sisters?”

“Did you know that my mother and Hi’ilei’s wife Kiri were related? The only place that she may have gone is a village beyond the mountains to the west. I think that is where Kiri went with her children, back to her family but I do not know where that is.”

“Does she know that you have come here?”

Moana shook her head, “She left before I did but she knew that I would not go with her, but look for you, Ahu.”

“And Ahuahu you mean?”

Moana was silent for a moment but then with her head bowed she said “You and Ahuahu escaped from the village. It was not a good place to live with the threat of fighting all the time. I wanted to feel safe and happy too. I will help you Ahu.”

“Don’t you think you would have been a help by going with your mother and the children? If you could not do that why will working for me and Hatiti be better? Life is not a game anymore Moana, you will soon be a woman but you must gain respect by your actions before good things happen for you.”

Moana hung her head and she rocked as the tears flowed. Hatiti went over to her and put her arms around her. “Moana you do not know me I am Hatiti, Ahuahu’s wife too. Every life is filled with both joy and sadness. At the moment people here will look on you with doubt when they find out you left your mother when she was in danger. We will teach you how to be a good wife and mother. Life is exciting enough as it is without tempting fate by rash actions.”

Ahu nodded, “Do you want to stay here with us to find out how you can be a useful member of the village or should Ahuahu arrange to take you back up to mother’s village where the kakas call?”

Moana looked up immediately “How did you know the village where my mother came from?” She then burst out crying again. “Please may I stay here, I will be good and help. Please Ahu, please Hatiti.”

“First you need to wash yourself; you do not even smell like a woman but like a fungus. Next you must never lie to any of us again, in this house we only speak the truth and say it with love.”

“Ahu, I have a confession. I spoke to Ahuahu at Gannet Island because I had seen Paikea with Ahuahu in our village. I could have escaped with my mother but I came here instead.”

“Doesn’t it feel good to tell the truth, Moana? We love you even more now.”

“We cannot promise anything Moana, said Hatiti, whose arm was still wrapped around her. “But we will show you how best to win Paikea, but it cannot be done by throwing yourself at him as he will just walk all over you, use you and never marry you. You must been seen to be discreet and show respect especially to his mother and father. They are the ones to be impressed.”

Then Ahu spoke. “Remember Moana, his parents are looking all the time to make matches for their children. You must be strong and respectful and worthy of their desires. But they are traditional they do not want to see a modern girl flaunting herself in front of their son. They will want to see you working in the Taro plot, they will see you looking after ours and other children or even going fishing with Ahuahu. When they look at you your eyes will be lowered and they will only ever hear good of your name. In that way everything you want could be yours.”

Kaka – a small screeching parrot

A visitor from the north (No. 40)

The continuing story of Ahu and Ahuahu her husband in a Maori village in Aotearoa before European settlement of New Zealand. (For previous episodes click on Ahu in the labels area)

It was the day after the celebrations that once again Ahuahu was summoned early in the morning to the chief’s house. There to greet him were not only the chief but Atarani one of his wives. She was standing with her arms wrapped protectively around a young girl…Moana. Also there was Paikea who was looking very embarrassed. Ahuahu quickly took in the situation and spoke to the chief straight away.

“I see we have a visitor from the north. I fear she has brought us bad news.”

“You know this girl?” asked the chief.

Ahuahu nodded “She is Moana from Gannet Island; I have known her since she was born. Has she spoken with you?”

The chief shook his head, “She was found just outside the village, she asked for you and Ahu but was brought here first. Sit down and see if she will talk to you.” They all sat down and Ahuahu asked permission to begin.

“Moana, the last time I saw you, you told me you were frightened that there would be fighting between your Gannet Island village and Rocky Outcrop. Is this why you have run away?”

Moana nodded.

“Has there been much fighting? You must tell us what has happened.”

“Please do not send me back.”

“Won’t your mother want to know where you are?”

Moana shook her head. With that Ahuahu looked to the chief and said “Moana has always run free since she was little. She is independent and strong but headstrong. She is a survivor.”

Moana then interrupted “My father was killed in the fighting with the Rocky Outcrop men. My mother has fled but I do not know where. She knew I would look for you Ahuahu.”

“What about the rest of the village Moana?”

“It has been burnt, the women and children that the Rocky Outcrop men wanted have been taken but I know nothing more as I was hiding.”

“So you disappeared into the forest unseen?”

Moana nodded in reply.

Ahuahu turned to the Chief. “If you agree I will look after her, Ahu knew her well and she can adapt to our way of life here. Even Hatiti will make her useful.”

The chief looked dubious. “She could stay here and be a help to my wives instead.”

“Yes that is an option too, but perhaps it would be best for her to talk to Ahu and feel safe here first and then we can decide later. I need to talk to you alone so perhaps now Atarani can take her to Ahu while I discuss this other matter.”

The chief nodded to Atarani his first wife and she took Moana to Ahu while the room was emptied.

“What is it you want to say, Ahuahu?”

“I must tell you more of my trip to Gannet Island with Paikea. We spoke with Moana there secretly, she said then that fighting was about to occur. Paikea and Moana looked at each other as we were talking even though they are both young, it may not be good for them to be in the same whare. We must be sure that all that she has said today is the truth. Ahu will determine that.”

The chief grunted and nodded as Ahuahu continued. “I told her back then that if she was in danger she should come here. But at her age she has not learned to lower her eyes when she looks on a boy. She may be in danger not of the fighting but of being in love.”

The chief laughed, “She may be small but does appear to be plucky with a strong will. You are right she is better with Ahu than here if Paikea is mooning over her. Do you think that she travelled all night to get here?”

Ahuahu laughed, “No she was watching us as we harvested the whale these last few days. I saw her high on the hill top. She must have left her village many days ago.”

“You saw her? I wish I had sons as plucky as her to survive days alone in the forest.”

“She is resourceful and knows her own mind that is certain. She will be safe here even if the Rocky Outcrop men do take over the Gannet Island village. They may be closer to us but should not come further south as the fishing here is not as good as there. They have been poaching those rich waters for years.”

Ahuahu returned home just as Atarani was leaving; Ahu smiled and whispered to him, “Moana is lying down and is sleeping. You are not planning on a third wife are you?”

Whare - House, Dwelling