Tin canning

The Pikihuia Awards have been held every two years for the last 30 years to celebrate excellence in Māori writing, both in reo Pākehā and reo Māori.

Zeb Tamihana Nicklin won this year’s award for the best reo Māori essay in the non-fiction category, as judged by Mike Ross. This is his essay “Tin Canning”.

 

“E moko, kia kakama, whakatikatika mai te paparahua, kei te rongo atu ahau i te haruru o ngā motopaika e whakatata mai ana.” Te reo whakahau o kui Hineringa.

“E kui, kei hea rā te pounamu wīkihi?”

“Kei te kāpata o raro . . . kua whakatū mai ngā tāhae i ō rātau motopaika, kei te hīkoi haere mai nei, kia kakama!” Te whakahau anō a kui Hineringa.

Kua kuhu mai ngā Tāhae ki te whare, kāretahi he pōraka, kirikau ana a runga, ā, kāretahi hoki he pōtae mārō e mau ana ki te māhunga. Ka uru ki te kāuta, ka noho ai ki te paparahua whakapārekareka atu ai, whakapārekareka mai ai.

“E tau, haramai, tau mai rā ki tō tātau whare . . . ka nui te hari me te koa o te ngākau kua tau nei koutou ki tō tātou kāinga iti noa nei!” tā kuia Hineringa mihi whakatau. “E moko, tīkina mai ngā tūtae kurī hei kai mā ngā Tāhae nei . . . arā hoki ngā karaehe, ka ringihia he wīkihi mā rātou!” Ka rere atu a Tamihana ki te manaaki, ki te whakahau i ngā Tāhae kua motopaika mai ki roto o Ngaio, ki Te Pūtere.

“E kui, kua mātao kē ngā taewa nei.”

“Āe rā, me pēnā tou.” Tā kui Hineringa.

Ka noho ngā Tāhae ka puta te reo mihi i te tuakana. “E kare mā, tēnā tātau, mihi mai, whakatau mai i ngā Tāhae nei ki Pāhauwera whaitua . . . ka nui taku koa te kite ake i a koutou, mihi mai ki a Te Pūtere, ki a Pareroa e tau nei, whakatau mai rā, kia ora tātau.” Tā Āreta whakahoki mihi, ā, ka whakatakoto i te hauwhātanga poaka puihi ki te tēpu nāna i amo mai.

Ka hora i te mokopuna ngā karaehe wīkihi mā ngā Tāhae nei ka mate tou iho ki te korokoro maroke o ngā tāhae nei. Ka huri atu a Tamihana ki a Āreta, te tuakana o ngā Tāhae tokotoru nei. “Ka pēhea rā te hautū mā, e koro?”

“Kāretahi i tua atu, he momo mana motuhake anō ka rangona i te hōiho rino nei, ka mutu, ka rongo koe i te wairua o Tāne kei ngā tahataha e tū mai ana i te ara haere mai.” Tā Āreta whakahoki.

“Tō koutou māia hoki i te kore mau poraka, aha nei, pōtae mārō rānei i te ara tokatoka.” Tā Tamihana.

“He ara tēnei nō neherā rā anō e pakituri haere mai ana, ā, e hautū haere mai nei mā runga motopaika, . . . kai te mōhio iho mātou ki ōna huringa katoa me te takoto o ngā tokatoka katoa mai i Te Pūtere ki Raupunga.” Te urupare a Āreta.

“Mutu mai ana tā koutou pārekareka kua ahu pēhea atu rā koutou?” Tā Tamihana mahira ki a Gunner, te taina ake nō Āreta.

“Mā te pupuhitanga noa o te hauhei kawe haere atu i a mātau, engari kē me whakatūtū ki ngā kāinga o ngā Māori tokomaha o konei e taea ana e mātou i te rā kotahi.” Tā Gunnner whakahoki.

“E kui, he pai māku hei hoa haere tahi atu ki te motopaika o koro Āreta?” Te pātai a Tamihana.

“E tama, me pātai kē koe ki te koroua nōna rā te motopaika rā, māna tonu e whakatau!”

“Ehara ehara!” tā te koroua me te kemokemo atu ki a Tamihana! “Taihoa tātau ka haere, me whakamutu atu ā tātau inuinu . . . mea ake, inumia touhia iho ai ka waha ake a Āreta kua haere tātau!”

Ka whakaeke atu a Āreta i tōna hōiho rino ka whiore mai a Tamihana ki muri pupuri mai ai i ōna hope. Ka huri atu a Āreta ka waha ki a Tamihana. “E tama, he rerekē te motopaika ki tā te hōiho whakaeke . . . mā te hōiho kē koe e manaaki, hei kaitiaki māu otiia, tēnei hōiho rino nei ko koe tou tō ake kaitiaki . . . ka huri kokona ai me wharara pēnā anō tō tinana — koi wehi mai!”

“Ka pai, e koro.” Tā Tamihana urupare māia nei.

Ka whana whakararo a Āreta i te pētara kia haruru tōna motopaika ka puta te reo haruru ā-kapa nei me ērā motopaika atu anō o ō taina ka wehe atu ai ki te kāinga tuarua.

Ka tōna toru tekau hēkona kau iho ka tae ki te kāinga tuarua, he pātata, he uri anō. Kei reira kē te whānau e pārekareka mai ana it e tau hōu Pākehā otiia, e whanga mai ana ki ngā tāhae nei.

Mihi atu ana, mihi mai ana ka whakatakoto a Gunner i te hauwhātanga poaka puihi. Ka ringi tuatoruhia he wīkihi me te inu tou atu ai. Ka rere te kōrero me te pārekareka heoi anō, kāre anō kia tekau karaka i te ata kua toru kē ngā wīkihi me he pia kua oti kē te inumia e ngā Tāhae nei.

Kei konei te taina o Tamihana e noho ana, ā, noho hae mai ana te mokopuna nei ki a Tamihana e hoa haere ana i tō Āreta motopaika — ko Pītiti tōna ingoa. Ka hiahia hoki a ia ki te eke motopaika, ka pātai atu mehemea ka whakaae mai kia eke anō a ia ki te motopaika o Gunner.

Taua kupu whakaae anō rā “ehara, ehara piki mai!” tā Gunner! Ā, ka harikoa rawa atu a Pītiti, ka wareware katoa atu i a ia ki āna koha kirihimete ka waiho kau ki te papa ka rere ihiihi atu ki tō koro Gunner motopaika whāngai mai ai.

Ka tukuna ngā mihimihi ka motopaika atu anō ai.

Taro kau ake ka tae ki te kāinga tuatoru. He uri tuakana kē kei tēnei kāinga ki a Tamihana rāua ko Pītiti, ko Whakaaha tōna ingoa. Ko taua āhua anō rā, ko te hae mai o Whakaaha, ā, kotahi atu tana tono ki a Dan hei hoa haere mōna ki tōna hōiho rino. Ko taua kupu whakaae anō rā, “ehara, ehara,” tā te Tāhae nei, tā Dan.

Ka rere ngā kupu mihi — mihi mai, mihi atu ka noho iho te whānau nei ki te whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, ka whakangahau, ā, whakatakoto ai a Dan i te hauwhātanga pōaka puihi ki te pae kāuta.

Ka noho ngā tāhae ka kōrerorero ai ki ngā mātua o Whakaaha, ki a Whakaaha matua me tāna wahine ki a Te Rira. Ka pātai atu a Te Rira ki a Āreta — “āhea koe hoki mai anō ai me tō pūtohe?”

“Kei konei kē, kua herea atu ki muri o taku motopaika — Tamihana, tīkina mai taku pūtohe.” Tā Āreta whakahoki, whakahau anō ki a Tamihana. Mea rawa ake ka hoatu e Tamihana te pūtohe ki a Āreta hai pupuhitanga, hai whakangahautanga ki te whānau nei.

Kāre i roa mai, ka tīkina mai ngā pune o te kāpata me te rakuraku kua pakaru mai te waiata tahitanga i roto i te whare.

Reti haere ana te rā i te rangi kua heke haere iho kē ki tōna rua. Mea ake, rākaunui   ana ngā Tāhae nei kua oti kē te whitiria iho e Tamanui — kua moe kē, ā, pōuriuri ana a waho.

“E kare e, ka mate tā tātau hoki ki Te Pūtere, kua pōuriuri kē a waho.” Tā Āreta.

“Kai te pai, he tau anō kei tua hai whakangahautanga anō mā tātau.” Te Whakahoki a Gunner.

“Mea ana koe, e koro, ka hipa te kotahi tau kātahi anō koe ka hoki mai anō?” Te kī ake a Whakaaha mokopuna.

“Ehara, ehara, he pai ki a mātou te noho moke ki Te Wao.” Tā Dan.

“Kāre e nui atu i te tekau ngā kāinga i konei, ā, he nui ngā rākau a Tāne e karapoti ana i a mātou.” Tā Whakaaha.

“E tama, he wao anō tā mātou, mātatoru ake nei, matomato ake nei, kāre i tua atu.” Tā Āreta ki a Whakaaha.

“Kua hoki rā tātau ki te kāinga, nē.” Tā Āreta. “Engari, e koro, kei te haurangi kē koe kei aituā noa koe! Kai te pai, kua rākaunui te marama hei karu mata o te pō.”

30 tau ki te anamata i tāone o Te Papaiōea . . .

“E haere kau atu ana au ki te kāinga o ōku mātua, e kore au e roa.” Te kōrero a Tamihana ki tana tau, ki a Rāhera.

Whakakāngia ai tōna motopaika Hāri e Tamihana, ka whakamahanahanatia. He motopaika hōu rawa, nō te tau tou nei o te rua mano mā rua, ā, kotahi rau kiromita anake kei te matawā.

Kāore a Tamihana e mau tarau roa ana otiia, he pōtae mārō me te poraka anake ngā mea hei whakahaumaru i a ia. “Ā kō ake nei.” Tā Tamihana ki tana tau nōna e motopaika atu ana . . .

Oho ake ana a Tamihana i te mauri moe e tīraha mai ana ka hāparangi atu ki te takiwā, “Tautoko mai, tautoko mai!” Kua toka te tīraha iho nei, kua kore e taea te neke paku aha atu nei ki hea, ahakoa ngana tou mai a Tamihana te tū ake mō te hemo tou atu!

Titiro whakararo a ia ki tōna waewae katau e huakia katoatia mai ana tōna kiri, ā, e pūkana mai ana ngā uaua o tōna wae me te kōiwi me te hīrere kaha pai nei o te toto ānō he ngongowai. Te kitengatanga iho ka ruaki tou ai a Tamihana me te maurirere haeretanga nei o ngā whakaaro.

Ānō he oranga te roa kia tae mai he tangata ki te manaaki i a Tamihana kua hauata mai i tōna motopaika.

“Kaua e neke, kaua e aha, he waka tūroro kei te haere mai.” Tā te tangata nei.

Ka mahara i a Tamihana he waea pūkoro ki tōna pūkoro ka kore i paku pakaru ahatia nei, ā, ka tere tana waea atu ki tana tau otiia, auare ake he whakautu mai. I konei ka tahuri a Tamihana ki te waea atu ki tōna tuakana, ki a Mike, ā, waingōhia ana ka urupare mai a ia.

“He aha rā?” Tā Mike. “E kare, kua hauata motopaika ahau, haere mai ki te tautoko i a au, kei te ara e kuhu atu ana o Te Whare Wānanga o Massey, haramai ka kite koe i te marea e karapotia haeretia nei ahau.” Mea rawa ake, ka tae atu a Mike ki tō Tamihana taha, me te aha, tau ai te mauri o Tamihana i te kitetanga atu i tōna tuakana.

“E hika, haurangi ana koe?” Te ui atu a Mike ki a Tamihana. “Karekau hoki, tē aro i a au mō te kemonga karutanga kau nei te roa, mea ake ka puta mai te pourama i tōna tūranga ki te huarahi ka tukituki ai!” Kata pai ana rāua ki a rāua, ahakoa tā rāua noho wehi mai i tēnei hanga.

“E hoa, waea atu ki taku wahine kia mōhio a ia, i ngana atu ahau i muri tata nei otiia, auare ake!” Ka pa i . . . “Mea mai a Rāhera, ka tūtaki mai ki a koe ki te hohipera i tōna mōhio kua tau mai he waka tūroro ki te manaaki i a koe.”

Tae atu ana a Tamihana ki te hōhipera kua uru tonu atu kia pokangia ia e ngā rata poka.

Whā hāora ki te anamata.

Tīraha ana a Tamihana i tana moenga i te hōhipera, ā, pōturi nei tana maranga ake nā ngā pire whakakore mamae i tana pokanga.

Te ora mārika o Tamihana ki te ao ka hāparangi ake a ia ki te takiwā — “Kua kore he aunga moe i tua atu i tērā!” Ka urupare atu te nēhi.

“E hoa, i pokaina kē koe e ngā rata hei whakatikatika mai i te mamae i tō waewae, kua whā hāora koe e noho mate ana ki te ao hurihuri. Pēnei tou au i te moemoeā kē, ka mutu, kua oho ake au i taku moe!” Tā Tamihana.

“Karekau hoki, kei te hōhipera kē koe, kua hauata motopaika koe!” Tā te nēhi ki a Tamihana.

Taro kau iho, ka rongo a Tamihana i te mangeo, ka kaha tana rakuraku i a ia anō. Ka rongo hoki i te mangeo a raro nei anō hoki otiia, ka pā te whakamā ki a ia ka rakuraku huna a ia i ōna huruhuru. Taro ake kua puta mai anō he tangata i te taiwhanga mahi pokanga ka pēnei anō tāna mahi — he rakuraku i a ia anō ki raro ki ngā huruhuru otiia, ki te whānuitanga anō o te tinana heoi anō, tē whakamā nō te tangata nei ki te rakuraku i ōna huruhuru ka turakina te whakamā o Tamihana, ā, hei aha māna ka rakuraku haere kaha nei a ia i ōna huruhuru.

“Titiro ki tō tāmoko kei te mamae o tō waewae, kua āta whakatikahia anōtia e ngā rata poka kia tika anō te āhua o tō tohorā, o Āraiteuru!” Tā Rāhera ki a Tamihana.

“E kare, ka mau te wehi!” Tā Tamihana ki tana wahine, ki a Rāhera.

“Me whakamōhio atu koe ki tō rangatira kua hauata motopaika koe e pai ai tō hōnea i te mahi, nē. Kī mai rā ngā rata ka ono wiki te itinga iho e hōnea ai koe i te mahi.” Te kōrero a Rāhera ki a Tamihana.

“Auē, tika hoki tāu, me i kore ake koe kua raru pai nei ahau, kua kore rawa ēnei mea hira e whakaaro ake e au . . . e mihi atu ana i tō manaaki mai i ahau i roto i ngā tau, ā mohoa noa nei. Mōu anō i whakapono mai, mōu rā i aroha mai nei . . . nōhea rawa taku aroha e mimiti mōu otiia, mārō ake, mārō ake nei!’ Tā Tamihana ki tana tau me te roimata e kai ana i ōna pāpāringa — awhiawhi atu, awhiawhi mai.

“Kua whakahoki kōrero mai tō Rangatira, mea mai ana ka kite atu a ia i te pou-rama e takato ana i te ara i te haeretanga atu ki Te Whare Wānanga Massey, ka pānui mai anō a ia mō tō hauata ki Puna, kua rongonui koe!” Tā Rāhera.

Kotahi wiki a Tamihana e noho ana ki te hōhipera kua pai tana hoki ki te kāinga. Ka tae atu a ia ki te kāinga, ka pānui ia i te kāri mihi nā āna ākonga, ngā tuākana o te kura.

Huaki ana a Tamihana i te kōpaki ka tangohia te kāri. Kei te uhi he pikitia kua tāngia e tētahi o āna ākonga, he tohorā.

“Rāhera, tēnā titiro mai, titiro mai!” Me te reo tūmeke o Tamihana . . . titiro ki te pikitia nei i tāngia mai e tētahi o ngā ākonga i te kura. Ko te tohorā Āraiteuru he rite rawatia te āhua o tōku tāmoko kei taku waewae otiia, nōhea au i whakamōhiotia atu ko tāku kaitiaki tēnei!

 

This piece is published in Huia Short Stories 15 ($25, Huia Publishers) and is reproduced with the permission of Huia Publishers. Available for purchase from www.huia.co.nz

Zeb Tamihana Nicklin (Pāhauwera, Ngā Tokorima a Hinemanuhiri, Ruapani, Tūhoe, Tāmanuhiri, Rangitāne). Me kī āhua tautōhito ana au ki te uru ki ēnei whakataetae tuhinga, ā, ngākaunui ana ki tēnei whakataetae nō taku rata ki te whakakupu i ōku whakaaro otiia, ki te reo Māori te painga atu.

He kaiako reo Māori hoki ahau ka 18 ngā tau e kura māhita ana me te reo Māori te kaupapa. He kaiako ahau i te reo Māori, ā, ngākaunui ana au ki te reo Māori. He pai ki a au te whakarongo kōrero, reo Māori nei me te whakakupu i ōku whakaaro ki te reo. Pai ki a au ngā tūmomo waiata, te poitūkohu, te mahi korikori tinana.