99. Freedom

With my eyes to the ground I live life within bondage
seeing only the feet of the malietoa
Accidentally I look up at his face
and instantly taken to be whipped and be beaten

Deep in a dream and in my dna
I see a moment in time, some one thousand years
where Polynesia is centrally ruled
from Tongatapu or the Kingdom of Tonga

Descendants of tohunga from around the Pacific
are born into slavery to carry out rites
Inverted pyramids go deep underground
born on the backs of a lost tribe of Israel?

The gardens and wives of chiefs and of nobles
along with the women who bear chiefly slaves
are tilled very carefully by their very own servants
till new generations are born once again

And to this day have the bloodlines remained
albeit enforced with anguish and pain
where all of our gifts were nurtured as well
but born out of servitude or some sort of hell

*Malietoa (Tongan Chief)

96. Tuna

One hundred and twenty feet high in the air
stands a massive big eel with black glistening skin
It rises from out of the most beautiful water
from the brightest blue oceans, from across the Pacific

Now right in front of me it rears it's great head
opens its eyes and and its gigantic mouth
but this one seems friendly, happy almost
inviting me now to come for a ride

And now on its crown it begs me to sit
holding on tightly to the fins on it's head
My very own waka or merkaba of light
now waits to convey me to faraway shores...

52. Daughter of the Ocean

Deep in a dream she visited me
so I sat with the others, down at her feet
Descended from Tangaroa and daughter was she
of Rakataura from the Tainui canoe

Over all does she reign who dwell in the Sea
whether fish, whether taniwha, coral or whale
and here was this woman imparting to me
the story of Waikanae, while I was on leave

There are Waikanae many all over the World
all over the country as well this coast
but this single name links them together
a singular fountain of info and story

This is the place, of "bleeding hearts"
of where the forlorn come to be cured
and where all the healers come near and afar
and offer their love, their hearts and their prayers

This is where journeys end and begin
where waka set sail and people come in
A singular hub on the Wellington coast
for seafarers from the mighty Pacific

It's also the place where spirits were banished
out into the depths of our darkest oceans
Wiremu Ratana sending them there
due to their obstinance and unfounded fears

She takes us all down to the Waikanae shore
but I fear to tread out onto the sand
As I stand on the grass I see weather bombs
black menacing clouds, lightening striking the water

And out of the depths come dark lonely figures
one noticing me and moving towards me
"Get back in that water" I hear myself say
and see it move backwards, out into the wake

A powerful lesson learnt on this day
of the history and meaning in the name of this bay
Of what to look out for before setting sail
of healing or dispelling souls and their pain