MAYHEM
Issue Three – October 2015
ISSN 2382-0322
______________________________________________________________________________
Te Rina Ransfield
Before the Battle Begins
The bell rings, a chill is swept across the sacred ground of Tu Te Ao Marae. A call is sent and in
rolls the blood of a thousand years. Heads are bowed in silence and up rise 50 staunch hands.
“He hōnore he korōria he maungarongo ki te whenua he whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa,
Āmine.” A quiet like no other fills the whare, a holy presence embraces my bones. Such a voice
demands all ears, demands all focus and all spirit. Te reo o te rangatira, te pou. The voice of Te
Kāhautu, of Uncle Dudu. He lays his karakia upon us and in that moment we are a whole spirit,
we are united and we are one. We are Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti.
As the spiritual dust settles, the call is given “On the floor!” With a quick breath of release the
rows fill one by one; one by one jandals are carelessly flung against walls. One by one poi begin
to flutter and solidarity becomes unveiled. Deep strums of guitar lead the way and harmonic
voices quickly fill the wharekai. Bad acoustics disguise the guitar’s beat as the sound bashes
walls and explodes with a force so overbearing it echoes in my ears. In that moment we are a
whole spirit, united, one. We are Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti.
Hours pass, puku tremble. Ringawera are preparing a kai that could easily feed a platoon of men
returning from world war. Delectable scents of sweetcorn swirl and swipe past the nostrils of the
roopu. Eyes begin to brighten and lips are licked, awaiting practise to be stopped just a few hours
so the widening gap in stomachs can be filled. Over and over lines are sung, replaying in their
head a voice: “One more time pleeeeease... I’m staaaaaarving!” At last, the table is tapped with a
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
© Copyright remains with the individual author
MAYHEM
Issue Three – October 2015
ISSN 2382-0322
______________________________________________________________________________
knife, heads are bowed and the buffet begins. In that moment we are whole, united and one.
Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti: that’s who we are.
One last run through of the waiata as moonlight caresses the Paa. Countless hours spent to
perfect a mere 30 minute stand. Passion drips from faces, hands swipe across foreheads and then
down the side of shorts. The men are shadowed outside as the haka is boomed from the Atea.
Tongues are out, eyes are wide and feet pound the ground in repetitive beat as if Ruaumoko has
awoken ready to engulf anyone who dares challenge their mana. The women are just as staunch.
Their poi become heavy and their wrists become weak but they carry on, knowing that perfection
is the only way they can rest their tired bodies. Unruly hair swallows faces and sticky feet are
screaming to be washed. As night grows darker so too do the eyes, a long day soon turns into
long night. In that moment we are a whole spirit. We are united. We are one. We are Ōpōtiki Mai
Tawhiti.
Forty exhausted faces pace to the shower and wash the sweat from aching bodies. One more
smoke and cup of tea before they go to rest, waiting to be drilled again tomorrow. Once again the
bell rings, a chill sweeps across the sacred ground of Tu Te Ao Marae. A call is sent and in rolls
the blood, a thousand years. Heads bow in silence. Up rise 50 staunch hands. “He hōnore he
korōria he maungarongo ki te whenua he whakaaro pai ki ngā tāngata katoa, Āmine.” A quiet
like no other, a holy presence, has filled the whare and my bones. Such a voice demands all ears,
demands all focus and all spirit. Te reo o te rangatira, te pou. The voice of Te Kāhautu, of Uncle
Dudu. We are all under his watchful eye. He lays his karakia upon us and in that moment we are
a whole spirit, we are united and we are one. We are Ōpōtiki Mai Tawhiti.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
© Copyright remains with the individual author
MAYHEM
Issue Three – October 2015
ISSN 2382-0322
______________________________________________________________________________
Pomarie.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
© Copyright remains with the individual author