), ‘The soul of a people, the essence of their being, exists within the warmth of their philosophy; it is nurtured and sheltered by the wisdom of their beginning’ (p. 4). It is time to turn this heart around in full circles reclaiming, taking back what was taken from us through the invaders of the Western seas.

Koro/Grandfather

Speak to me of being women, when a child

Grandmothers taught magical lessons

Mother earth/Papatuanuku

Nurturing, caring, loving my brothers

My sisters, my mothers, my fathers,

Sacred circle of whānau, family

Eternal flame, ahi kaa, Growing inside, of warmth, safety,

Loving my sisters, growing deep within

Mother's breasts,

Brothers, Te Wao nui ō Tane

Forest whānau inhabiting forest floors

Whānau, winged children of Ranginui e tu iho nei

Sky father above,

Birthing women's lessons from all whānau

Glowing in women's light

Grandmothers, kōrero, talk, Koro wind, Tawhirimatea, God of the wind

His songs, of anger, peace, gentle caressing

Kissing, licking my paparinga, my cheeks, Four directions, ngā hau e whā.

His thundering messages, flashing skies

Colouring pages of my mind, my child's mind

My beauty, my rains, roimata, tears

Warm in my sleep words tapping on tin roof

Ngā kuia old women kōrero talk

Grandmother moon, radiant light, gifts,

Light on a road to walk through my nights

Te awa o te atua god/desses flow

Red flows from within, full womanhood

She speaks of me, global beauty, life's circles complete

Honouring fathers, brothers, uncles, sons,

Completeness.

Grandmother moon, birthing mother lessons, Listening to our babies growing deep within,

Teaching those lessons, sacred houses

Tapu, sacred time,

But

Fear, anger, hate, strangers lost to their roots, different ways, progress, technology, white collars, destroying sacred houses

Removing language removing rituals gods, goddesses, Come calling me barbaric, savage, native, Māori

Their need for power over

Raping, violating, killing, destroying my people; My nation, invaders, dancing technological fire dances; clouded minds of dope, chemicals, crack, cocaine, heroin

Dancing alcoholic dances plastic horses spinning

Faster and faster into a life of death

Barbarians of the western seas practice genocide

Winning, losing, betting games.

Lust, power, for power, tools of the stranger. Babies unborn, dance chemical death songs, Death does not come, plastic, tubes, bubbles house

The dying, babies survive born into a chemical hate

E Koro, grandfather, I am supposed to love the strangers, So many questions, love, hate, love hate, I hear your song e Kui grandmother,

I just have to remember

The words, savour the taste of them on my lips,

The words fade into wairua, spirit

Life then become bearable, stillness enters my soul, And it begins to fly, I will not be lulled into the mystical

Trendy, eastern, western religions

But stay close to the wisdoms of the ancient ones,

I have the intrinsic knowledge passed down through

The wai u breast milk of the mother

I know I have survived, I will survived,

I will live

I hear your prayers old ones, Those songs that enter, my heart I will sing.

I remember my woman, My Ngati Kahungunu connections to you,

I am woman

I am man

I am grandmother

I am grandfather,

I am light and darkness

Sparkling newness comes

Old voices, old waiata, old wisdoms, renewed

Live with me an old, wise, powerful indigenous woman.