The old mill

“They have closed the road to reach the highway so I’ll have to walk around by the old mill where they found that body all those years ago. 

I don’t mind doing that during the day but it’s dark now on the way home and so scary. 

Oh good, there are lights there tonight so I should find my way but it looks like there’s been an accident."

“I’m sorry my girl but you can’t go up that road so get in the car and I'll take you the other way round.”

“Are you sure cos that’s my parents’ house just up there officer. You are a cop aren't you?” 

 

                                   

 

 

The morning after

Wish my mind was sharp

But mornings after are not good

I have paid the price

 

My eyes open wide

But my mind is still fuzzy

Light cruel enemy

 

Did I drink because

I was happy or depressed?

Well, it didn’t work

Encounter on a dark night

 

I am a creature of the night

Others know me, but keep away!

They tend to fear me and my bite

And care not for the games I play

 

I once was tame and didn’t roam

Now dark shadows are friends to me

They are my blanket and my home

My face is scarred so let me be!

 

I trust that me you will not chase

Oh, you will find that is not wise

In case you see me face to face

Kinder people have paid that price

 

Oh, stupid creature of the day

Could you not leave well alone?

You have seen me and have to pay

Now I will eat you, flesh and bone

I have feet of clay

 

 

I have feet of clay

Time does not erode the past

If only it would

 

I do not feel safe

I shudder and shake in bed

Sheets twisted in knots

 

Waking like an owl

My home is the inky night

I foresee the flames

 

What did I do wrong?

Immeasurable failings

Bending of the truth

 

Time passes slowly

My mouth is full of pebbles

I still yearn for peace

Mahuikas Tales No. 10. Hinemoa and Tutanekai

This story was also posted on the Sunday Scribblings site as their prompt was Myth this week. Hopefully Mahuika will return next week to relieve the teenager Hekeheke of the temporary task she was left with. To find my other stories just click Mahuika on the Labels bar.                      


                                                                                                                                                                  


  









Mokoia Island on Lake Rotorua

Having told her first story to the children while Mahuika was visiting Black Sands, Hekeheke became more confident and decided to tell a longer story next time. It was one that had always been her favourite. With all the children gathered around her she began.

A long time ago there lived a beautiful and high ranking young maiden (puhi) by the name of Hinemoa, the daughter of a very important chief at the time. They lived at Owhata on the eastern shores of Lake Rotorua where I used to live. Because of her rank, Hinemoa was not permitted to meet young men by herself. A husband would be chosen for her by her family and their tribe. Many young men came from far and wide to offer to marry her whose beauty was well known. However none of the suitors gained the approval to wed her.
On Mokoia Island in the centre of Lake Rotorua lived a family of several brothers. Tutanekai was the youngest of them. His mother had had an illicit affair with Tuwharetoa who came from another tribe and later Tutanekai was born. Luckily his mother’s husband was a kind man and agreed to take his wife back and to raise Tutanekai as his own son as he still loved her and did not want to give her up.

Each of the Tutanaki’s elder brothers had declared their love for Hinemoa and set out to win her hand, but none of them won approval from Hinemoa's people.
Whenever visitors came to Hinemoa’s village for meetings many young chiefs saw Hinemoa and fell in love with her. Tutanekai knew however because of his lowly birth that he would never win approval from Hinemoa's family. Tutanekai however was extremely handsome and excelled at the games of the time when the whole village and their neighbours would come to watch the men compete. It was Tutanekai's skill in these events and his good looks which caught Hinemoa's eye. She fell in love with Tutanekai and at each tribal meeting they would search each other out and look at one another. Sadly they were only able only to convey their feelings through their secret glances of longing and had never spoken as that was forbidden as she was puhi.

Neither of them could see any way their love would ever be fulfilled. Tutanekai would sit on the shores of Mokoia Island with his friend Tiki and play sad music on his flute. On very still evenings his music would reach across the lake to where Hinemoa also sat thinking of him with longing as she knew that it was him playing. She was full of sadness as knew she could never marry anyone but Tutanekai. Her family began to suspect she wanted a man they considered unsuitable and in order to prevent her sneaking away by herself pulled all the canoes on the lakes edge far from the water as they were too heavy for her to move by herself.
Night after night she listened to the music of her would be lover until her heart was breaking with sadness and she knew she could take no more. It was then she decided, if she could not use a canoe, she would have to swim. The next night, she told her people she was going to watch the evening entertainment, but in fact she headed for the lakefront, after collecting six calabashes from the cooking house. She rested by the rock named Iri iri kapua while she tied the calabashes together to form floats.
She then slipped in to the water at a beach called Wairerewai and swam for Mokoia in the dark heading for the sound of the flute being played by Tutanekai. She finally made it to Mokoia Island, but she had become so cold during her swim, she headed straight for a hot pool there named Waikimihia close to Tutanekai's house.

Once she had warmed herself, Hinemoa realised she was naked and was too shy to approach Tutanekai's house without clothes. It so happened at this time Tutanekai became thirsty, so he sent his servant down to fetch a calabash of water. The servant had to pass quite close to where Hinemoa sat in the hot spring warming herself. As he passed the pool, Hinemoa in a gruff voice called out to him 'Mo wai te wai?' (For whom is the water?) The slave answered; ‘Mo Tutanekai' (For Tutanekai) 'give it to me' demanded Hinemoa, and as soon as the slave did so she smashed the calabash on a rock at the side of the pool. When the slave returned to Tutanekai and told him what had happened, Tutanekai made him go again. Again Hinemoa challenged the slave and once again smashed the calabash. 

This time Tutanekai became angry and decided to go down to the pool himself. He dressed himself, and took a flat weapon made of greenstone called a mere and headed for the pool. Once there, he challenged whoever was in the pool to show themselves. No one moved. Hinemoa had shifted under a hanging rock which provided some protection for her naked body. She stayed there still and quiet. Then, Tutanekai felt around the edge of the rock and came to where Hinemoa hid. He grabbed her by her long hair and pulled her clear. 'Who are you and why do you annoy me?' he cried.
She answered, 'I am Hinemoa…I have come...to you'. Tutanekai couldn't believe his ears. And when she stepped out of the water, he was sure he had never seen such a beautiful woman in all his life. Tutanekai took off his cloak and wrapped it about Hinemoa picked her up and took her to his whare to sleep. 

The next morning the people of the village rose to prepare the morning meal and remarked that Tutanekai was sleeping late that morning, as he normally was up first. After a while, his father began to think he might be ill so sent a servant to check on him. The slave went to Tutanekai's whare and as he peeked in saw four feet instead of two poking out from beneath the covers. The slave ran back to report this to his master and was sent back to investigate further. It was then he recognised Hinemoa. Such was his surprise, he began to call out 'It is Hinemoa. It is Hinemoa who lies with Tutanekai'.
The brothers would not believe the slave, and nor did any one else, but with all the noise Tutanekai stepped from his house with Hinemoa on his arm. It was then the people noticed canoes heading toward the island, and knew it was Hinemoa's family. They feared a battle would be fought and thought Hinemoa would be taken away from Tutanekai forever. 

At this point all the boys listening got excited because they thought there would be a battle.

Upon arrival her father asked where his daughter was. She appeared holding Tutaneki's hand pulling him forward. Her father then accepted that she had chosen Tutanekai herself so there was much rejoicing between the two tribes and lasting peace maintained between them as they knew now that the couple were meant for each other.

When Hekeheke finished the story all the girls looked pleased but the boys were cross as there had not been any fighting. Once again she realized that each would remember the story for different reasons. She smiled and was happy with the way she had told the story, but she still wanted Mahuika to come back soon as telling stories was not easy.

Making the most of negative words

1.

His look was greasy

But that didn’t put her off

He’s a mechanic

 

2.

Insidious snake

The hen clucked furiously

“Leave my eggs alone”

 

3.

Christmas time again

She looked at the pile of gifts

To be revealed soon

Mahuika's Tales No. 9. Hekeheke tells of Kuiarau

                          Boiling pool at Rotorua

Mahuika was going to Black Sands with Hoku her step daughter, Hoku's husband Aotea and their children on a visit to Aotea’s family there. She had told Hekeheke that if the children sought her out for a story perhaps she should tell them one.

“Mahuika, I am not a story teller. What do I know and what stories can I tell them?”

Mahuika smiled at Hekeheke “We are all story tellers. We hear our first stories from our mothers and our fathers. We do not forget them. It is our duty to keep telling them otherwise what will become of our history?”

Hekeheke nodded doubtfully.

Then Mahuika went on “Tell the children the stories about Rotorua where you were born. You must know them all. When you tell a story it may be different from the last time you heard it because of the way it affected you. Do you remember when the little girl wanted the little bird Tieke, to be included in the story about Maui taming the sun? If she tells that story now it will be unique to her. That is why there are so many different versions of his exploits.” Here Mahuika paused then said, “The best stories will last but who will tell the stories when I have gone?”

Hekeheke knew then exactly what Mahuika was talking about. So she nodded and said “I am sure the children will help me.”

With that Mahuika again shook her head, “No, Hekeheke. They must be surprised when they hear a story. When a woman relates a story she will talk about love and sadness better than a man. When a man tells a story he will emphasize the bravery and cunning of the heroes and their adversaries. It has taken me a long to time to be able to tell stories about Maui and his tricky ways so that boys enjoy it. You must remember your listeners and tell the story to please them.”

As Mahuika expected the children looked for her after she had gone to Black Springs. They couldn’t find her so went to Hekeheke instead. She told them that although Mahuika would be away for a little while she would tell them a story instead. So she took them to her mother’s whare and sat them on the sand in front of the entrance and began her first story.

 

Tamahika, son of Tutea was the first man to set up a permanent home at Rotorua, which is where I used to live. I was born there as were my parents and their parents before them. The village is called Rotorua now and there are many hot springs there. Some that you can bathe in and some are so hot you can cook in them. There are pools that bubble and hiss and some that every now and then grumble a lot then shoot a great gush of hot water and steam into the air. This clearly makes the pool feel better as then it quietens down again for a while before it starts to grumble again.

 

Here Hekeheke interrupted her story and said. “I have not yet been to the Hot Springs at Black Sands but I understand those at my birthplace at Rotorua are bigger and angrier than any where else in our land.” Then she continued:

 

Well Tamahika took a beautiful young woman named Kuiarau to be his wife and they loved each other very much. They were the first people to settle in Rotorua and lived happily together with Tamahika’s father Tutea, who also lived with them. One day when Kuiarau went bathing in one of the warm springs, Taokahu, a taniwha (a water monster) saw her and wanted her for himself. So the evil monster swam up behind her and grabbed hold of her legs and dragged her down to his lair below the lake.

The gods, observing the struggle between poor Kuiarau and the evil taniwha, became very angry and decided to punish him causing the lake to boil so the Taniwha would be destroyed forever. However Kuiarau also died when this happened. So Tamahika never ever saw his wife ever again.

From that time on that hot lake and the land surrounding it has been known by the name of Tamahika's lost wife, Kuiarau in memory of her.

 

She knew that not only had she not told the story well she had told it too quickly but as she had already got to the end looked up at them to see their reaction. 

“Did you bathe in that pool Hekheke?” Asked one of the boys.

Hekeheke laughed and shook her head “No, that pool is too hot to bathe in. All the pools there are different temperatures.”

“Did Tamahika ever get married again?” asked two of the girls together.

“I expect so, or else I would not be here would I?  My family has always lived at Rotorua. My mother and I only came here after my father died. My mother is now being looked after by a man in our village of Gannet Island.”

“So you have not been to Black Sands and the hot springs there, Hekeheke?" Asked another boy.

”No, not yet, but one day I will go.”

The boy then said "My father told me that Hatiti the second wife of Black Sands headman Ahuahu  was married first to Kaihutu. Kaihutu died when he fell in a hot pool there. Do you think that a taniwha captured him?"

"No I don't think so." Answered Hekeheke.

She then understood what Mahuika had told her that the stories she told the children would interest them in different ways.

With that the children settled down again eagerly waiting for her next story.

Surprising seasons

                                    Morning wheat (Freepik)

 

Surprise at the dawn

Our blessings are so many

Joy with each sunrise

 

Spring is a delight

As nature gives birth again

With birds on the wing

 

The warmth of summer

The richness of its harvest

And being with you

 

Autumn is sadness

So many friends fly away

First frosts make us numb

 

But joy to behold

When Christmas blesses winter

I have you to hold

Everything is OK

Marriage is strange amalgam of opposites; it is fine balance of everything and nothing. She was my everything and now I am her nothing. I look at her pretty mouth as she trashes our whole life together like the diamonds in the ring which she twists without noticing what symbol she is making.

Clearly this is serious. I try to keep a vacant expression on my face as I hear what a cheat and liar I have been. The tentacles of hate are circling me like a fence. No, it’s more like a brick wall that I’ll not escape. My mind is finally exhausted by the last of her invective which pours from her mouth like gravel.

I am in the kitchen and I get a prod in the ribs. “Stop watching that kettle I want my cup of tea.”

I breathe a sigh of relief as she hugs me round the waist. Everything is OK but I really must stop flirting with that girl in the office.

Alone by the fire

 

 

Alone by the fire

There’s one spark in the embers

But more in the skies

 

Each one speaks to me

But I still wish they were you

To hold my hand now

 

Winter and spring come

Summer taunts and passes by

But autumn’s here now

 

And tears like the leaves

Fall in memory of you

Dancing in my heart

The weekend

Fastidious wife

She plans my weekend for me

Thought I’d watch football

 

What a daunting task

Wife wants help in the kitchen

TV says watch me

 

Moods intensify

Suggest take her to dinner

We both feel better

Mahuika's Tales No. 8. Maui and the Sun

It was a hot day and Mahuika had taken the waiting children down into the cool of the forest to tell them a story. They could hear the hum of the insects and the chirping of birds as she sat them down and started her story.

 
                                           Maui's friend the Tieke bird

Maui who had been cared for by the god Rangi, had not long returned home to his brothers when he began to think that it was too soon after the rising of the sun that it became dark again as the sun sank down below the horizon each day.
So one day he said to his brothers: ”The days are too short. Let us catch the sun in a noose, so that we may compel him to move more slowly, so that we have longer days to labour in order to gather enough food for our families”
They answered him: “There is no way man could approach the sun on account of its great heat. It would surely burn us”.
Maui said to them: “All the time I have been away from you since our mother abandoned me as a baby to be looked after by the gods I have learned many things. There is a way.”
When his brothers heard this, they agreed with his plea to aid him in the conquest of the sun.
So at his instruction they began to spin and twist ropes to form a noose to catch the sun in, and by doing this they discovered the mode of plaiting flax into stout square-shaped ropes, (tuamaka); and the manner of plaiting flat ropes, (paharahara); and of spinning round ropes; at last they finished making all the ropes which they required. Then Maui took up his enchanted weapon, and he took his brothers with him, and they carried their provisions, ropes, and other things with them, in their hands.
They travelled all night, and as soon as day broke, they halted in the desert, and hid themselves so that they might not be seen by the sun; and at night they renewed their journey, and before dawn they halted, and hid themselves again; at length they got as far as they could to the east and came to the very spot from which the sun rises.
They set to work and built on each side of this place a long high wall of clay, with huts from the boughs of trees at each end to hide themselves in; when these were finished, they made the loops of the noose, and the brothers of Maui then lay in wait on one side of the place out of which the sun rises, and Maui himself lay in wait upon the other side.
Maui held in his hand his enchanted weapon, the jaw-bone of his ancestress of Muri-ranga-whenua, and said to his brothers: “Mind now, keep yourselves hidden and do not go showing yourselves foolishly to the sun; if you do, you will frighten him; but wait patiently until his head and fore-legs have got well into the snare, then I will shout out; haul away as hard as you can on the ropes on both sides, and then I’ll rush out and attack him, but do keep your ropes tight for a good long time until he is overcome then we will let him go; but mind now, my brothers, do not listen to him when he shrieks and cries out for pity or he will escape.
At last the sun came rising up out of his place like a fire spreading far and wide over the mountains and forests; he rose up, his head passed through the noose, and it took in more and more of his body, then they pulled tight on the ropes, and the monstrous sun began to struggle and roll himself about, whilst the snare jerked backwards and forwards he tried to escape. Then Maui rushed at the sun with his enchanted weapon. The sun screamed and roared aloud as Maui struck him fiercely with many blows; the brothers held him for a long time, at last they let him go, and then weak from his wounds the sun promised to travel much slower along its course as he does today.

“But Mahuika, what about Tieke?” asked a little girl.                             

Mahuika laughed, “Well little ones" she said to them all, "perhaps I should have told you this;"

Maui had a pet bird, a Tieke that went with him everywhere. Some say it even went with the brothers on this quest too but Maui gave it strict instructions to it to keep out of the way. But Tieke got very excited during the struggle with the sun and was hopping about at their feet getting in everyone’s way. Eventually Maui in the middle of the fight with the sun had to take hold of Tieke and throw him back into a safe place. However Maui’s hands were so hot by this time he burned Tieke and some feathers on his back were scorched red by Maui’s fingers. Even now all of Tieke’s children have that mark on their back.

So the little girl nodded with satisfaction that little bird had not been left out of the story after all. Mahuika glanced and nodded at Hekeheke the teenager as if to say, the little girl has heard the story before.

Authors note: There are many stories about Maui harnessing the sun. Sometimes Tieke is included and sometimes not. There are even stories of the Sun being caught at sea. Sadly Tieke birds cannot be found on the mainland anymore.

Aunt May

                            Feeding chickens

“Go on round and see your Auntie May.” So I did, for then I would get out from under my own mother’s feet and from being bullied by my brother and picked on by my sisters. But best of all I would not have to look after baby while Mum was cleaning up or whatever mothers’ did that it was best not around at that time. So I sauntered round to Aunt May’s house that had a garden that stretched out miles at the back where I could explore and count the chickens and breathe in the scent of the flowers and maybe get a treat too from Auntie May. It might only be a biscuit but it would be for me alone so I would feel special and be able to look inside their house where it was always so tidy and had lots of books and a grandfather clock and it would be just us two alone. Uncle Bill would be at work but even if he came home early that would be alright too as he would pick me up and spin me round and say to me “What have you been doin’ my little rascal.” I wouldn’t have a lot to tell him but the very fact that he would be speaking to me alone would be special and I loved that.

But it was just me and Auntie May that day and I suppose I helped in the garden as she knelt down in her flower beds and talked to the flowers encouraging them to bloom and scolding the bugs for eating the leaves and touching me lightly on the arm would point to the bees as they sought out each flower and came out dusted with pollen. Sometimes if we were very quiet the birds came down in the garden as well and spying the turned soil would scratch and scrape at it finding a snack as Auntie May would nod with approval that all this was right in her world especially if a pesky snail was captured.

Uncle Bill was fun too as he could play his ukulele at family gatherings and sing country songs to make us all laugh. They even had a piano too but we never heard it played but it sat in solemn silence waiting in vain for its notes to be tinkled. I never asked Mum why that was so and now I never will. Children know so little and it is only years later do we learn a little of others lives. Sometimes it is better that we do not know as youngsters for then we are selfish in our understanding.

So it was that I became a regular visitor to see Auntie May and when they went away for a few days I used to go round and feed the chickens and gather the eggs and place them in the bowls in the cool pantry ready for their return and take my allotted share home to Mum.

As I grew uncle Bill even gave me my first driving lesson in his ancient Ford and thus I grew up and away and never knew the sadness of Auntie May’s life or why she was always pleased to see me in those beautiful days of childhood. I was far too young to know that he had beaten her so bad that the baby she had carried inside her stood not a chance and her hopes and dreams of a life fulfilled were dashed…except for her sister’s scrawny child who she loved and hugged when I went to see her. Little did I know then that I was a form of replacement for what she had lost, but of course I was too young to know that other than being with her with her garden and tending her chooks I was an important part of her life. As I grew older I helped her bottle her pickles and stir the jams on the stove I was still helping her live her dream.

Later when I told her I was getting married, she seemed pleased but said a very strange thing. She said “Be gentle with her”

Now after all these years I so wished I had told I loved her so, but it is too late to tell her that now. 

Missing the apocalypse

Sad world to be born

A prophet is expected

Can we mend our ways?

 

But my sins bind tight

Vulture circles overhead

No taste for drunkard

 

Sleepy in gutter

No warning trumps are heard

World’s edge fine by me

Full of her

 

It’s the eyes for me

That are the gateway to love

But of course there’s more

 

Who knows why the nose

Seeks my special attention

That’s also on the list

 

Her cheeky grin means

I'll fall in her tempting trap

The best place to be

 

When she speaks to me

I know I am hers for life

Filled with her passion

 

We touch each other

And then explode with desire

We are one being

Just where are your eyes?

How I wish the sun

Would not always run from me

And leave me alone

 

It’s hasty retreat

Leaves me with dreadful shadows

And night’s cruel embrace

 

Who will sustain me

Now that you live with the shades?

Can old words do that?

 

Do your pictures speak?

Where’s that pretty hand to hold?

Just where are your eyes?