News
Being a New Zealander: LETTERS FROM OUR LAND
17 December 2007
| Byline: | Susan Smirk |
|---|---|
| Source: | Humanities Research Network |
Susan Smirk's essay was recently awarded second place in the inaugural Council for the Humanities writing competition for Year 12 and 13 secondary school students on the topic, 'Being a New Zealander'
Children of Aotearoa,
Heed my words, for you are yet so young. I am the land that you know. I am the mist that encircle Aoraki in your dreams. I am the river that carries your tears across this land. I am the deep forest which shelters your fears. I am the windswept shores from which your dreams take flight. I am a strong land, and one of great beauty. I am your home. Ask of me what you will, and learn how to be a New Zealander!
Our Land of the Long White Cloud,
We are a land of diverse peoples. Who is a New Zealander? Shall we judge by skin colour, by name or by heritage? Can we measure by race, by document, or by time? Who should we accept as New Zealanders?
My Children,
You are all new here. For million of years I have been forming, breathing, living; you are all new to this place. You are not static. Not the freeze frame beauty of a mountain peak, or flash-bulb faces around a dinner table. No, you are the patterns of a Moko, ever-growing stories, generations, on a ancient and living land. You must grow your stories together now. You must recognize the strong warriors, those whose tribes grew at the base of mighty mountains, who knew me well, and to whom I was provider and home. You must recognize the determined pioneers, those who prevailed across unknown seas, to build something new on foreign shores; who embraced my hills and plains, and whom I prospered. You must recognize those who came searching from every corner of a vast world, and found what they were looking for, and chose to rest here in our land, bringing with them colours and songs from many distant lands. You must lift your voices in a Karakia, in a hymn, in a blessing, and a welcome. To these we say 'Haieri Mai'. Come and tell your story - come and be part of ours. If you come, bring with you all that you have from previous places. Bring parts of yourself which have grown on foreign shores. Come and bring with you Africa, Asia, India. Bring Europe and America. Bring the Islands, the Pacific. You may bring these pieces, but do not cling to them greedily and fearfully. If you bring them, bring them as gifts. When you enter this land, share them with the whole. You will learn, and then, as you give, take, share, you will see the whole heart of this nation. From all the pieces, the pieces that didn't fit - the old pieces, and the new ones - you will rework what you each have brought to this nation, into a beautiful whole. This whole - this story we are now telling together, woven from pieces - we have called Aotearoa New Zealand, and each person that tells it is a New Zealander.
Ancient Land,
The world is a big place. We are only 4 million people - an island, in the middle of a vast ocean. We are 'the ends of the earth.' There is little we can do; a new nation, still finding it's feet. Other nations have history, power, money, strength. Compared to these, how can WE do anything?
My Son's and Daughters,
To outsiders, you are proud and defensive about our small island home; what you have built, what you have grown. But I hear your insecurities in the face of the outside world. Firstly, you must remember your brothers, your sisters. They have already spoken to the world; and the world has heard them. The speak in many ways, and in ways entirely their own, and they speak on our behalf. Remember that on the world's highest peak a young beekeeper stood and recalled the other snow-capped peaks of home. Remember how in this country, a young women made the first women's vote in the world, and thanked her nation for this gift. Remember how your filmmakers have taken the spectacular beauty of this land and presented it to the world, on a silver screen. Remember more than this - not just individuals, but those in the crowd. Those who refused the rugby team from a land where Apartheide reigned. Those who rejected nuclear ships in our waters. Those who marched for equality, for justice and peace. Now, children, you have taken your shaky first steps. You have discovered that you can walk - now learn to run, and never, never stop dreaming of flying. Do not fear to follow those who have already shown you the way. Though small, you are a nation with a heart - and you have every right to make ourselves heard. Already you have shown the world you can stand strong in your beliefs. And we are only just beginning. This nation has passion, manna, and pride. Know this and stand tall, as an unashamed New Zealander.
Aotearoa,
We have some shameful history of injustice and brutality. We have spent many years covering this up, many years ignoring it, many years belittling it. How can we get past this? How can we move forward, with so much wrongdoing behind us?
Oh Children of this Land,
You must learn to acknowledge the past - to hang your heads, and accept with shame the greed over this place which has lead to such bitter conflict. But more than this, you must now learn to lift your heads once more, and again look each other in the eye - now is the time. This nation has scars - just as Maui's a brothers, in greed, tore up this land, greed has left invisible marks across out nations. These things are part of our story. It may seem that these deep scars have divided your country into almost separate pieces, but together we can carve them into lessons which will teach the future generations better ways.
Now, like children, you must learn to share these unique lands. You must learn that I, New Zealand, do not belong to you - but you, all, can belong to New Zealand. Remember that all is a gift, and one meant to share. This is being a New Zealander.
New Zealand,
We want to go places, and do things, but we are bound here by fear. Can we make the journey, and will we fit into the world? Are we good enough to make it out there? How can we leave all we know and love - how can we leave you, our home?
My Children,
Do not forget that the journey to find this land was just as perilous. By waka you came, over wild seas. By ship you came, over vast seas. By plane you came over strange seas. Have your forgotten so soon, what you are capable of? You are the warriors, the journeyers, the builders. The brave discoverers and inhabiters of new lands. But yes, here you have found a home. In my wild and beautiful lands you have grown, and you have grown to be a part of them. You are growing strong and true, like a tall Totara tree. You have always grown towards the sky - you grow with purpose. You are young; a new nation, still tremulously testing your wings, and finding you can fly - and oh how you will fly! So the time must come where you will leave the nest and fly away from home. This is right - you must go to other shores, and gain a wider knowledge of this planet, and your place in it. I will release you, so you can carry our name across wide oceans. Tell other lands about the people Aotearoa is raising. Tell other nations about the beautiful country from which you came. Yes, I will send you with a message, but like a lover, I will always await your return. Come, and carry news home to us! Bring back knowledge and wisdom. Carry new ways, new learnings, and with it, you will make New Zealand a stronger and more understanding place. Go, see other lands, but always let your heart carry you back; for I am your home. Return to me - I will not forget you - for you are a New Zealander.
Your Land,
Aotearoa, New Zealand
