Explore Posterous
Search posterous
Search all posts and users. Type a name, type a favorite song title, whatever! See what comes up.
More posterous blogs
Here are posterous posts filed under maori...
how the kiwi lost his wings
Every now and again someone comments on the word "kiwi" and how curious it is that New Zealanders are named after a fruit. Even more curious is that it should be a national symbol. Depending on the person, I sometimes reply that for about 10% of the population, the association with "fruit" is quite appropriate. Needless to say, I haven't used that particular line much in Indonesia...
The purpose of this post is to put it on record that New Zealanders are not named after a furry fruit, but derive the name from a nocturnal, virtually blind, flightless bird with a long beak it uses to dig up grubs and other juicy morsels you are not likely to find at a Remuera dining table. Doesn't sound any better than a bitter green fruit, does it?
Not true. You see, the kiwi is a very noble figure, symbolizing humility, self-sacrifice and generosity of spirit. Here's the story I grew up with. I don't know if it is a genuine Maori legend, but it is embedded in my psyche as what being a Kiwi is all about.
So if you ever feel the urge to deride the kiwi, please remember that New Zealanders adore this national symbol with a passion.
How the Kiwi Lost His Wings
One day, Tanemahuta was walking through the forest. He looked up at his children reaching for the sky and he noticed that they were starting to sicken, as bugs were eating them. He talked to his brother, Tanehokahoka, who called all of his children, the birds of the air together.
Tanemahuta spoke to them.
"Something is eating my children, the trees. I need one of you to come down from the forest roof and live on the floor, so that my children can be saved, and your home can be saved. Who will come?"
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
Tanehokahoka turned to Tui. "E Tui, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Tui looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Tui looked down at the forest floor and saw the cold, dark earth and shuddered.
"Kāo, Tanehokahoka, for it is too dark and I am afraid of the dark."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
Tanehokahoka turned to Pukeko."Pukeko, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Pukeko looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Pukeko looked down at the forest floor and saw the cold, damp earth and shuddered.
"Kāo, Tanehokahoka, for it is too damp and I do not want to get my feet wet."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
Tanehokahoka turned to Pipiwharauroa. "Pipiwharauroa, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Pipiwharauroa looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Pipiwharauroa looked around and saw his family. "Kāo, Tanehokahoka, for I am busy at the moment building my nest."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke. And great was the sadness in the heart of Tanehokahoka, for he knew, that if one of his children did not come down from the forest roof, not only would his brother loose his children, but the birds would have no home.
Tanehokahoka turned to Kiwi. "E kiwi, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Kiwi looked up at the trees and saw the sun filtering through the leaves. Kiwi looked around and saw his family. Kiwi looked at the cold damp earth. Looking around once more, he turned to Tanehokahoka and said,
"I will."
Great was the joy in the hearts of Tanehokahoka and Tanemahuta, for this little bird was giving them hope. But Tanemahuta felt that he should warn kiwi of what would happen.
"E kiwi, do you realise that if you do this, you will have to grow thick, strong legs so that you can rip apart the logs on the ground and you will loose your beautiful coloured feathers and wings so that you will never be able to return to the forest roof. You will never see the light of day again."
All was quiet, and not a bird spoke.
"E kiwi, will you come down from the forest roof?"
Kiwi took one last look at the sun filtering through the trees and said a silent goodbye. Kiwi took one last look at the other birds, their wings and their coloured feathers and said a silent goodbye. Looking around once more, he turned to Tanehokahoka and said,
"I will."
Then Tanehokahoka turned to the other birds and said,
"E Tui, because you were too scared to come down from the forest roof, from now on you will wear the two white feathers at your throat as the mark of a coward.Pukeko, because you did not want to get your feet wet, you will live forever in the swamp. Pipiwharauroa, because you were too busy building your nest, from now on you will never build another nest again, but lay your eggs in other birds nests.But you kiwi, because of your great sacrifice, you will become the most well known and most loved bird of them all."
(Taken from here.)
Treasure
It is time for us to follow new paths. Thank you for giving and sharing wonderfull and unique moments, thanks for everything that we were my lovely tiny dancer. As connected souls, I will always treasure you. Be wonderfull at everything that you do. See you around.
My Six Random Things for the Taxman
- Link to the person who tagged you.
- Post the rules on your blog.
- Write 6 random things about yourself.
- Tag 6-ish people at the end of your post.
- Let each person know he/she has been tagged.
- Let the tagger know when your entry is up.
................................................................................................................................................
My Randomizations
- It's unlike me to respond to projects like Six Random Things - unless, of course, the TaxMan comes calling.
- I was raised on a peninsula along the shores of Lake Erie and alternately in a home facing Booby Island off the coast of Nevis in the West Indies. I come by an affinity for large bodies, of water, naturally.
- I'm apt to return lacerating cynicism with scything sarcasm and piercing satire with rapier wit, respectively and respectfully, of course. And, I can clap with one hand, either hand.
- This excerpt:
"Pongileoni surpassed himself in the final Badinerie. Euclidean axioms made holiday with the formulæ of elementary statics. Arithmetic held a wild saturnalian kermess; algebra cut capers. The music came to an end in an orgy of mathematical merry-making."
from Huxley's Point Counter Point, speaks to every facet of my brain. I like it. - I once paid $35 to leap from the wing of an airplane featuring a faulty fuel line and a malfunctioning wheel lock.
- My adventuresome brother has now lived abroad longer than he lived in the United States. He once shared an ocean-bound ship with his nine polar bears and a group of Maori as they traveled along the coast of Madagascar en route to Japan where he now resides.
I often refer to him as, Jai Congo. Drop him in a Venezuelan jungle with a K-bar knife and a quantity of rope and he'll walk out laughing.
