Ao Toa

by Cathie Dunsford

  “Not before we’ve voted on our stance.” Irihapeti urges everyone back into the whare nui to continue the meeting, though she is shocked at the destruction to their sacred kotuku guardian. “Piripi and Waka will have the wing fixed in no time.”

  “Ka pae. We will,” asserts Piripi, but he knows it will be a major job. The bird was carved out of one piece of kauri from the Waipoua Forest that was granted to them when the road was widened and some dead trees were harvested. The wood was cleaned and blessed by the elders, and they may need to start from scratch with another piece to maintain the sacred energy. However, he wants to avoid this. He hopes to repair the wing and retain the wairua of the bird he came to love so much in the process of the carving. She spoke to him then and has spoken to him since. Even now, she urges him this is a sacrifice for the good of all, and they must be willing to do the same when the time comes.

  “Has everyone read the flier from Greenpeace: Genetically Engineered Trees in New Zealand?” asks Irihapeti. There are nods from the masses. “Are there any questions?”

  One woman stands at the back of the whare nui. “Yes. If International Paper and our own RichTree Resources have joined forces, and they plan to invest US$60 million into researching and developing GE trees over the next five years, then won’t this make them a danger to our native forests and our natural sovereign rights?”

  “It sure will,” replies Irihapeti. “They are now the largest GE tree research programme in the entire world. This is a huge threat to our natural resources and we need to take the initiative on this.”

  “Aren’t those RichTree Resources fellas backed by International Seed Corporation?” pipes up a voice from the crowd.

  Koa replies. “Sure are. International Seed Corporation gave them money initially, then withdrew, throwing their resources into their own seed projects. But they still hope that the GE experiments will make the trees Roundup-resistant since they will make more sales in the long run.”

  “Sneaky buggers!” replies the woman.

  As the korero continues, it becomes clear to all that New Zealand, despite declaring itself clean and green, has been involved in several GE tests and field trials already. Independent research backs up the Greenpeace material and by the end of the hui, they vote to lobby Carter Holt Harvey to abandon the GE tree trials currently being conducted and to scrap any further plans for developing GE trees in Aotearoa. They also draft a letter to RichTree Resources requesting that they withdraw from their GE research and commit to responsible forest management as described by the Forest Stewardship Council formed in 1993. Copies of letters and replies will be sent to all major newspapers, Mana magazine and Greenstone Pictures who are planning a documentary on the issue as it affects tangata whenua. A vote is taken which is 100 per cent against any GE experiments. This will also be communicated in all further correspondence and details sent to the GE-Free Coalition.

  As the hui disbands, tangata whenua gather around the fallen wing of the sacred kotuku, offering their suggestions on its repair and condolences for the accident. Many say it is a sign from above that all is not right, that they must act now against these travesties against Papatuanuku and Tane Mahuta. The one-winged kotuku smiles down on them from the top of their whare nui, pleased that her sacrifice has not been in vain.

  “Tataramoa.” Mere gestures to the pointed leaves and delicate white flowers of this vine which grows wild all over Aotearoa.

  “How did such a striking plant get the name ‘bush lawyer’?” asks Kuini, delighted to be back home and in the forest again after she and Cowrie left the hikoi to make its way to Wellington.

  “The elders told me that because the vine will latch on and cling to any person or animal nearby, it was dubbed the bush lawyer.” The wahine chuckle. Very apt.

  “So what’s it used for medicinally?”

  “You boil up the bark until it turns into liquid and then drink it to ease constipation. A Rawene tohunga also said that an infusion of the root bark helps cure diarrhoea and many other stomach complaints – but I have not tried that one out yet.”

  I might give it a go on Tony, thinks Maata. It could cure his underwear problem. I’ll slip some into the next infusion of tea I make for him. She carefully strips off some bark in the way that Mere has taught them, just enough for her needs and not so much that the plant will be harmed. Like using some of the plant for grafting and sustaining the species but not robbing it of its spirit or life force. Maata is still so shocked by her encounter with Mike and his killing of the fantail that she has not yet shared this with any of the others. She does not want to blow her cover so early. However, if she can find a quiet moment, she might tell Cowrie. Her aunty always knows what to do in such circumstances. But she’s still lying in bed recovering from her scrape with nature, needing plenty of rest right now and very peeved that she had to miss out on the rongoa trip today.

  “And you all know what this is.” Mere points to a tree with heart-shaped leaves and tall thin cones that spike the air as if mimicking lights on a Christmas tree.

  “Kawakawa” comes the chorus, for this is the tree after which the Northland township of Kawakawa was named. “It’s also known as the pepper tree, and a decoction of the leaves is often used as a treatment for boils and for kidney complaints.”

  “Isn’t it an aphrodisiac, like the Fijian kava plant?” asks Koa.

  “Yes, the tohunga often used it for this purpose, but it’s not as strong as the Pacific Island versions of the plant.”

  “It makes a wonderful tea,” adds Irihapeti.

  “And if you take off a leaf and chew it, it tastes just like pepper. You can use it to season your food. I often put it in casseroles and anything cooked slowly so the taste really infuses into the dish.” Moana chews on a leaf of kawakawa, delighting that she can cook anything she likes and go back to her favourite foods now she is cooking communally on the marae and does not have to please the pie-and-chips tastebuds of Tony. Still, she misses some parts of him, especially his humour when times are tough. She wonders how he is getting on. She’ll ask Maata sometime, since she’s heard from Mere that Maata is doing his housework for him. Glad someone is and that it’s not me right now. Maata will be safe with him. She’s too young for his needs, thank Papatuanuku.

  “And this precious plant will be your saviour every time.” Mere holds up the branch of a rather scrubby tree with bright yellow flowers.

  “That’s gumdigger’s soap!” exclaims Kuini.

  “Ka pae. Also known as kumarahou. You’ll see it growing on the outskirts of the bush and along the roadsides all over Tai Tokerau, showering the landscape with its golden flowers. This is like liquid gold, the kauri gum of our ancestors, for it heals just about any complaint you can imagine – colds, asthma, bronchitis, aching limbs, influenza and is even great for the kidneys.”

  “How do you use it?” asks Maata.

  “Just boil up the leaves and let them soak for a while. Then drink the liquid and you’ll be right as rain the next day, I promise you.”

  They each take small samples of the leaves to make a concoction on their return. “Maybe this will heal Cowrie?” asks Kuini.

  “It will help as a tonic, but I can find even better for her particular complaints,” replies Mere, moving the group deeper into the bush.

  “What about mahoe? That helps for rheumatism, doesn’t it?” suggests Irihapeti.

  “Ka pae.” Mere points to a large stand of whitey-woods bursting with bright purple berries. Their trunks are covered in a white fungus that looks like paint carefully applied for artistic effect. “We’ll collect some leaves, put them into the hot tub tonight, and bathe Cowrie in it. Once it has infused into the hot water after about an hour, she will feel the benefit. It can help cure rheumatism and eases all aches and pains of the joints.”

  “I’d like to prepare the bath and look after her,” offers Maata, thinking this could be a good chance to talk to Cowrie in private about what has happened and ask her advice.
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br />   “Ka pae, Maata.” Mere is pleased she is looking after her whanau so well. She has calmed down a bit after the sea incident and seems to be really maturing.

  They come to a clearing where there is a field of kikuyu grass, and Kuini tells them how the women of Mohala created their organic garden by placing cardboard over the grass and carefully building up compost and mulch from there until they had raised beds boasting the most luscious vegetables. In among the kikuyu are sow thistles poking their heads up bravely. Mere bends and breaks off a few leaves. “Puha or puwha, depending on which iwi you come from. Most of your grandparents ate this daily, boiled it up with pork or mutton bones and ate it like spinach. It is rich in nutrients and is used for all stomach ailments, for healing boils, and also for women giving birth. It was helpful in expelling the placenta and this was a sacred act since the placenta, as most of you know, has to be carefully wrapped and later buried and a tree planted over it to ensure the healthy growth of the child and its spiritual development.”

  “But that puha tastes bitter. The white gooey stuff is yuck!” Maata screws up her face at the memory of it.

  “The milky sap from the puha is best used for boils and not eaten raw. But once the leaves are simmered, you’d never know it wasn’t spinach.”

  “Yeah – and not only with pork.” Kuini grins. “Remember that old song we all used to sing? Puha and Pakeha, puha and Pakeha, the finest food you could ever wish for, puha and Pakeha.” She sings it to the famous old Chesdale Cheese ad that used to grace their screens and has now become a cult symbol for packaged Pakeha food. It was a tangata whenua spin on the tired old jokes about Maori eating Pakeha and being cannibals. They reclaimed the joke by saying the puha tasted best with Pakeha – a few boiled Europeans – and sang it to the Pakeha idol of colonialism, the television that made this ad so famous in the first place. Kuini smiles at the memory. A wonderful piece of kitsch Aotearoan history which had a point to it also.

  “Didn’t Captain Cook get his crew to collect heaps of puha to be boiled up and served to those stricken with scurvy?” asks Maata. “I recall something like this from my school studies.”

  “You may be right there, Maata. He had a botanist on board the Endeavour who collected all kinds of traditional herbs and kai and noted how they were used by early Maori.”

  “Pity we didn’t have copyright over our medicines then, eh?”

  “We still do not have this finalised in legal form, but it is on the way. I don’t think anybody minds if people use these medicines for their own healing or for that of their whanau. But when it comes to making huge amounts of money and multinationals wanting to use traditional medicines, then we need to protect our heritage from being exploited,” volunteers Irihapeti, who is deeply concerned about this issue. Rose Pere had raised her awareness about the value of medicinal Maori herbs at a hui years ago.

  “Ka pae, Iri. We need to protect the spiritual values of these plants and make sure they are not purchased by the corporations and that we lose them forever. This has happened to some indigenous groups. We must watch out for this, while also wanting to share our knowledge with those who will respect it.”

  “Like the land, eh?” asks Maata.

  “Yes, my love, just like the land,” replies Mere, her hand on Maata’s shoulder. There is a swoosh of wings and a kukupa lands on a branch of the large tree towering above them with its dark green shiny leaves glistening in the sunlight. The olive-feathered, creamy-chested wood pigeon leans over to feast on the scarlet berries. “The kukupa is known as the kereru by some tribes, mostly in the South Island, and the puriri was called the New Zealand oak by the early European settlers because it reminded them of the old English oak they had left behind. Its leaves were boiled in water to relieve ulcers, back pain and even sprains. Maata, you might like to add a few puriri leaves to the hot tub tonight. A kuia from Kaitaia also told me that she cured her husband’s kidney ailment by getting him to drink puriri leaf tea every day for a year. So it’s a very useful old oak.”

  As she finishes speaking, the kukupa dangles its tail downwards and drops a long stream of creamy liquid onto Kuini’s head and the ground nearby. “Now, that’s very useful. Depending on what she’s eaten today, we might return here to find baby puriri trees and maybe some small nikau palms. She loves the bright nikau berries as well.” Mere turns toward Kuini, who is getting out a handkerchief to clean her hair. “Kuini, if you don’t wash your hair, you might sprout a beautiful nikau over the next few months.” The wahine laugh as Kuini replies that she’d rather see the plants growing in the soil, thank you very much! The kukupa flaps its wings, as if agreeing with her, and jumps down to another branch to reach for some more of the luscious berries to gorge on. She’s in no mood to be dieting today.

  Days and weeks go by, as the hikoi wends it way toward Wellington like a snake following its prey by scent, gathering information and tips along the way. They get emails from small townships all over Te Ika a Maui, and learn about the organic growers and their struggles to keep Aotearoa GE-free. Maata has alerted Cowrie to the suspected experiments on the Pratt farm, and a group of eco-activists at Te Kotuku marae vow to discover more. Meantime, Waka and Piripi work hard to restore their sacred carved kotuku to her former state. Piripi is visited by her in his dreams and she guides them along the way, offering suggestions for the future preservation of Papatuanuku and her rich heritage.

  Finally the day of reckoning comes, and the hikoi presents it petition against GE to members of parliament on the steps of the Beehive where they meet. It is a colourful gathering and they watch it live on the net as Sue Bradford, a Green member of parliament from their Northland region, greets the marchers with her speech of welcome.

  Sue Bradford

  Welcoming the GE-free Hikoi

  Parliament – Wednesday, 31 October 2001: 3:15 pm

  First, I welcome this opportunity to acknowledge and tautoko the hikoi that has arrived at Parliament this afternoon, having walked and travelled all the way from the far north. The hikoi started off early in October to make its protest against field trials and the possible commercial release of genetically modified organisms into the natural environment of this country. I met with the people from the hikoi last night, and today, and recognise their courage and determination in taking that long journey. I know it has not been easy for them, and as someone who has survived a hikoi myself, the March Against Unemployment that went from Te Hapua to Poneke in 1988, I am well aware of the difficulties of the long march and the tensions that arise, but to a good purpose.

  It was very fitting that the hikoi started in Northland, an area of this country that is absolutely passionate about its natural environment. We have some of the most beautiful beaches, islands, seas, rivers and forests of this country. We are passionate, not just that we have all this, but that we want to keep it that way. The beauty of the far north is a microcosm of Aotearoa and there is no place for genetic engineering in our home.

  Just recently we had the case of the genetically modified tamarillo field trials carried out by HortResearch in Kerikeri. There is a proposal at the moment that chloropicrin may be applied under plastic to stop problems arising from the fact that genetically modified crops have been grown at Kerikeri. We do not know what will come from this, but we are now assured that HortResearch will do everything that they can do to mitigate the risk from those crops. We do not want to see any more field trials in the north or anywhere else in this country.

  Many indigenous people in this country, as in other parts of the world, are deeply uncomfortable with the prospect of genetically engineered contamination of the natural world. I commend those members of the Government’s Maori caucus who have had the courage to at least try to change the direction that their leaders have, unfortunately, taken. There is a tremendous groundswell around the country that has been growing over the past few years against the mixing of plant and animal genes with human DNA. It is not only Maori who find that the mixing of human and animal w
hakapapa is “bizarre and offensive”.

  Transgenic experimentation goes against some of the most basic instincts that have been our legacy for endless generations of life on earth. I believe that to deliberately contaminate our whakapapa is spiritually, ethically, culturally, and biologically abhorrent to the majority of people in this country, whatever background we come from. We want to keep the whole of Aotearoa “GE-free”. The people in the district that I come from, would like to see Rodney become “GE-free” as soon as possible. We have a choice in this country about which way to go. To become a genetically engineered biotech wonderland is not economically or scientifically the best way forward. The “GE-free” register is growing daily. Many people are signing up and saying that the only buffer zones they want in Aotearoa are the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

  For Maori and tauiwi alike, deep concerns are being ignored by this week’s Government decision. I would like to make it very clear that the package that the Government announced yesterday in response to the Royal Commission report is not Green Party policy. We have not in any way signed up to it. As far as I am aware, we remain the only party in this Parliament committed to keeping genetically modified organisms out of the water, the air, and the earth of Aotearoa.

  This is just the beginning of the struggle. We are sorry that it will have to continue and that a lot more work will have to be done before we get the country we want. I tautoko all those who are taking part in this struggle. The debate about genetically modified organisms is not about different world views, but about the one environment that we all share.

  The crowd cheers, and flags and banners proclaiming “GE-free Aotearoa”, “Keep Frankenfish Out”, “Stop GE in our Forests NOW!” fly in the air above the heads of the marchers. The black, red and white Tino Rangatiratanga Maori sovereignty flag waves in the wind, and several members of the hikoi, from Del Wihongi to Titiwhai Harawira, speak passionately on behalf of tangata whenua being united against a GE future.