On a Warm Sunny Day

A few weeks ago, after a visit to our Wahi Tapu, I sat for a while in the sun, and gazed down on our marae.
So peaceful, and so quiet.
In the distance the twin horned sound of a pheasant echoed through the valley.
I could see the willows along Te Hue Hue, and I could almost hear the quiet water current playing with the reeds.
An old car rumbles around the corner and disappears up the dusty valley road. As the dust settles into the long paspalum grass. I’m looking at our marae and my mind wanders to the old people and the whanau that lived around here.
I am reminded  of uncle Pat, he too had an old car that rumbled around with wobbly wheals(Tamehaunga), I can hear  his rich voice speaking,  his laugh. He was tuned in to this marae.
Often He Paddy and I would just take time out and lie down in our whare hui and quietly cast our eyes over the photographs on the wall and enjoy one another’s nearness.
At that time I had just finished a book written by Hiwi Tauroa and his wife  Pat. It was about the protocols and general goings on pertaining to  Ngapuhi Marae.

I was privileged to have heard  many of Hewi’s words and wisdoms eminate  so effortlessly from our uncle Pat.
Thank you Hiwi for allowing  me to use your work as a guide for these pages

(I contacted Hiwi and his wife for permission to use some of their writings for our mahi. )Te marae e tu nei, tena koe. The marae standing here , I greet you
So now to I can share on these pages ,so the  voices of all our uncles like uncle Pat, live on