Dawn Raid

by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith

  SATURDAY, 14 August

  * * *

  I went with Mum to get groceries. I still felt stink about missing 2 days of work so I took my money jar and bought a purse to cheer me up. I got this cool green and blue beaded one, then I saw a matching shoulder bag and I couldn’t help myself—I had to have it as well. Blast it, I spent more than I meant to and now I only have $2.36 left! I think lay-by is the only way I can get the boots now. I talked to Mum about it again and she said that it would be okay but I needed to have 20 percent of the whole price for the first lay-by payment. The boots are $12.97, so I need $2.59 for the first payment. I don’t have enough for that so I’ll have to wait till Tuesday before I can do a lay-by. Blow, I shouldn’t have bought the shoulder bag but I didn’t know about the 20 percent thing. I could ask Mum for a loan of 23c, but I’ve only had 2 paydays and I don’t think she’d be impressed with me asking for a loan already. I’ll just wait until Tuesday, then have I’ll have heaps for the lay-by. I’ll be getting less pay next week so I need to be careful with my money.

  SUNDAY, 15 August

  * * *

  The Disney movie tonight was The Love Bug about this cool little VW car, called Herbie, that does stuff all by himself! Ethan and Tavita nearly wet themselves laughing, it was pretty funny. Mum was kind and did the ironing tonight. It was nice to have a break and just watch TV.

  Lenny told me Charlotte has started on the milk run and she filled in for me on Saturday. OH NO! I hope I don’t lose my job. They must think it’s okay to take on 13-year-olds now since I showed them what a good worker I was.

  MONDAY, 16 August

  * * *

  I talked to Charlotte about the milk run today. She thinks it’ s really hard work, but she liked it. She’s going to work this week to learn some more, then she’ll be the on-call person to fill in if someone is sick or away. PHEW! Thank goodness my job is safe. I’ll make sure I concentrate from now on when I’m getting on and off the truck.

  TUESDAY, 17 August

  * * *

  Mr. Morrison played the guitar today and we went through the songs for the cultural food day. I love singing them. We worked out who is doing what for the rakau, the whole class is doing what Mr. Parker taught us and then me, Tania, Colin, Walter, and Jonathan are doing our made-up routine. Mr. Morrison let us practise for some of the afternoon.

  We also made a class list of what food people are bringing. Mum, Dad, and I are bringing chop suey, which Dad’s making. There are tons of parents coming to help. I think they’re all keen to have some hāngi.

  I worked with Charlotte on the milk run tonight. She asked me lots of questions about tokens and stuff and said I was really fast at moving bottles around. I thought she did a pretty good job too. She kept up with the running and we took turns pushing the trolley.

  I asked her what she was bringing for the cultural lunch. (Can you believe we were having a conversation about the very thing we had our fight over?) She said a hāngi is from her culture so her auntie is giving some veges to go into it. I hadn’t thought about where the food for the hāngi was coming from. Charlotte said the school was providing the meat, and the veges and stuffing were split between some of the families in the class. Seems a good idea.

  WEDNESDAY, 18 August

  * * *

  It was Colin’s birthday today so when Mr. Parker came in he taught us to sing “Happy Birthday” in Māori. Anyone else would be embarrassed to have the class sing to them, but not Colin. He loved it, he even started conducting us. Mr. Parker called Colin a hard case.

  Mr. Parker drew a diagram of the hāngi on the blackboard, like this:

  He’s funny, he actually drew the happy men too. He said they’re happy because everything was done right for the hāngi and that is very important. We learnt that some jobs are especially for men and some are for women, and there are things like prayers (karakia) that need to happen first. He reminded us to tell our parents about the preparation tomorrow afternoon. I told him Dad couldn’ t come tomorrow, but he’d be there on Friday morning at 5:00 a.m.

  He reminded us to all bring our own plates and cutlery—I must remember to tell Mum and Dad about that.

  THURSDAY, 19 August

  * * *

  Preparation day for the hāngi was neat. We spent the afternoon clearing the classroom and getting set up for tomorrow, then we practised our songs and stuff. Mum picked up the boys early so she could be there at 3 o’clock for the preparation. She ended up being in charge of the kitchen so we got to go into the staff room to see her. The ladies made the stuffing and peeled the veges and put them in big tubs of water. The men dug the hole and got all the firewood, rocks, and sacks ready for the morning.

  It’ s been such a busy week, I forgot all about the lay-by for my boots. Tomorrow I’ll ask Mum if we can go to the shops when I finish work.

  SATURDAY, 21 August

  * * *

  We never got to the shops yesterday, but Mum said we can go today, THANK GOODNESS!

  The cultural food day was good. Dad loved learning about the hāngi. He said Mr. Parker said a karakia, then they dug a hole big enough for all the food baskets. They made a fire beside the hole and spread the hāngi stones through it to heat up. They have to use special stones—volcanic rock—so they don’t explode at high temperatures. (Wow, I didn’t know there was so much to know about putting down a hāngi.) Then they burn the wood and rocks for hours to get the rocks super-duper hot. Dad said in the end they were glowing white. I thought that sounded wrong, and they should be glowing red, but he told us that when they are white they are about as hot as they can be.

  Then they had to work quickly to get the rocks in the pit and place the food baskets on top. The baskets were lined with cabbage leaves and the meat was put in first. Then on top of the meat went the veges (potatoes, kumara, pumpkin, etc.), which were in mutton bags that had been soaking in water. Finally, the stuffing and more cabbage leaves were put on top in more mutton bags. Over top of the lot they put a sheet, which had also been soaked in water, to keep all the food clean. Dad told us that it had to be a sheet that had never been slept in because that is the right tikanga (Māori rules).

  Mum thought it was a waste to use a perfectly good, brand-new sheet, but Dad said, “That’s just the right way to do things, love.” Over top of the sheet were laid mutton bags and sacks that had been soaking in water to make the steam. When everything was in place they finally piled the dirt on top, being careful to cover every part of it so that the steam didn’t escape.

  Once the hāngi was down they sat around drinking coffee and chatting. Mr. Parker asked loads of questions about putting down an umu, so Dad said he would teach him one day.

  Lily saw Dad at morning teatime when he was walking from the staff room to our class and stopped to talk with him for a bit. Some girls from her class came over and asked if Dad was her boyfriend. Dad laughed, but Lily was horrified and told them it was her dad and not to be so silly. The girls told Lily she should be glad she has such a young, good-looking dad.

  Eww, that’s not cool! They shouldn’t be saying things like that about our dad!

  At 11:00 a.m. Mr. Morrison and Mr. Parker gave a speech to the parents and then said we should do our songs and rakau. Mr. Arbuckle our principal had come to watch as well. Our rakau group went first because we had our special performance to do. Colin got up to introduce us (of course), and he said, “Sofia’s dad made these wooden rakau for our group and we’ve been practising almost every day.” Dad smiled and looked proud. Then Colin said, “Sometimes we even add our own sound effects, but I don’t think we will be doing that today …” Colin, Walter, and Jonathan laughed but I went bright red. WHAT THE HECK, COLIN BAKER?!

  I don’t think anyone realised what he was talking about, but I don’t care, he should never have said that. Boys can be so dumb sometimes. Dad asked me later what Colin meant, but I said I had no idea. I think Dad knew I did—the whole room must have lit up with my bright red face.

&
nbsp; After our performance, the whole class sang some songs. The singing was amazing! I think the whole school would have heard us. The parents clapped heaps.

  When the hāngi came up, the ladies were busy putting it all out and making sure all the other food was heated and ready too. Mr. Parker said a karakia for the food and then it was time to eat. The parents, teachers, and Mr. Arbuckle went first, then the girls, then the boys and Mr. Morrison and Mr. Parker. I had some hāngi. It tasted kind of smoky, but I liked it. I also had one of Colin’s cheese rolls, some chop suey (of course), and a yummy casserole that Tania’ s mum had made, it had sultanas in it. Mr. Parker told Dad the chop suey was the best he’d ever had. Dad said, “I’ll make it again when you come to learn how to put an umu down.”

  “That’s a deal,” said Mr. Parker.

  SUNDAY, 22 August

  * * *

  I am SO miserable!!!!!!!!!

  We finally went to lay-by my boots yesterday—and there weren’t any in my size! I almost cried when the lady told us. I tried on a smaller size but hadn’t even started to do up the laces and they were hurting like crazy. The lady said, “Well, they have been popular.” That didn’t help at all. I was sitting there with my big Island feet, feeling like an ugly sister from Cinderella, and that’s all she could say. Mum asked if any of their other stores might have my size, and the lady said she would phone around and see, but she couldn’t promise anything and we might have to pay extra to get them there.

  WHAT? Obviously she doesn’t know I’m paying for these with my own milk-run money. Actually, she wouldn’t know that because Mum was doing the lay-by in her name. Oh well, I won’t know until next week. Bummer. I went into Woolworth’s and got some pick-n-mix lollies. I know I shouldn’t have spent any money but I don’t think I’ll need it for my boots now. I spent too much and the pick-n-mix cost $1.13.

  There was tons of ironing to do when we got home, and even the Disney movie was stink tonight.

  I hope I can get my boots. Please, please, please! Fingers and toes crossed.

  I forgot it’s school holidays now. At least I can sleep in tomorrow.

  TUESDAY, 24 August

  * * *

  It’s payday, so now I have over $15 but we haven’t heard about the boots yet so it doesn’ t really matter.

  FRIDAY, 27 August

  * * *

  Tonight we all went to Porirua Centre for late-night shopping. I bought some View-Master reels from the magazine shop. They’re cool. I got I Dream of Jeannie, a Countries of the World set about Greece, and a Peter Pan set. I let Ethan and Tavita look at the Peter Pan set. In one of the pictures it looks like the crocodile is coming right out of the picture at you, they loved it. The reels were $1.25 a set. Then we went to James Smith’s and I saw this AMAZING COOLEST EVER halter-neck top. It was only $4.50 so I decided to get it. The colour is called burnt orange, pretty cool, eh. I thought it would be nice to buy something for Mum and Dad since they helped out so much at the cultural food day last week, so I got Mum a hand cream and some hankies for Dad. They were stoked.

  When we watched Donny & Marie, I felt miserable all over again because she was wearing bright blue go-go boots. I was thinking, Boohoohoohoo (that’s me crying quietly to myself). Seeing the boots must have jogged Mum’s memory and she said, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, the lady from the shoe shop rang and they’ve got some boots for you—they’ll be here next week.”

  I leapt off the couch and said, “Aw, Mum! Why didn’t you tell me before we went to the shops? Now I’ve spent some of my money!”

  “Sofia Christina Savea, do not raise your voice at me!” I didn’t even know I was shouting, but I was so annoyed, I said (or shouted), “But, Mum, you know I wanted to lay-by them and now I’ve spent some more of my money.”

  Dad stepped in then and said, “Sofia,” in a low, warning voice.

  I stormed off to my room. I quickly counted my money—all I have left is $2.53. What is wrong with me? I keep spending all my money. I never thought earning money could cause me so much worry.

  SUNDAY, 29 August

  * * *

  Uncle Joe rang today, and then I heard Dad and Mum talking about sending money to help pay for Grandma and Grandpa’s trip to Auckland. Mum wasn’t very happy about it. “We’re already sending so much, do we have to?”

  “That’s just the way it is, Mary.”

  This time it was Mum’s turn to raise her voice and storm off to her room. Dad went out and dug the garden.

  I painted my toenails and tried on my new top. Lily came in and said, “Fab top. A pair of Wrangler jeans would go great with it.”

  I like that idea. I’ll have to see how much they are. Whoops … there I go, spending my money again.

  Dad made Mum a cup of tea and then he cooked a scrummy chow mein for dinner. I think he was trying to make up with Mum.

  I told Lily and Lenny what happened and Lily said we should all give some of our money to help get Grandma and Grandpa to Auckland. I like the idea … but am worried I won’t be able to get my boots.

  MONDAY, 30 August

  * * *

  The first week of the holidays went so quick. During term time I can never wake up, so I thought I would sleep in every day, but instead I wake up early. It’s payday tomorrow so I’ll be able to do the lay-by.

  WEDNESDAY, 1 September

  * * *

  Before Mum got home from work I hung the washing out, tidied up the bench, and got a cup of tea ready for her. I asked if she could take me to do the lay-by and she did.

  I tried the boots on and didn’t want to take them off. When the lady opened the box and pulled the tissue paper back, I must’ ve been holding my breath because I let out a little gasp, Mum and the shop lady giggled a bit. It felt so good to know they are finally going to be mine. I ended up putting $3.00 on the lay-by so I could keep some to give Dad towards getting Grandma and Grandpa to Auckland. Mum said I should put more on, but I told her I want to keep some because I might go to the pictures with Lily.

  Katrina’s away on holiday, so Charlotte was on the milk run. I told her about the boots and she can’t wait to see them. She told me Lenny has been spending heaps of time at their place and she thinks he and Rawiri are up to something.

  “Like what?” I asked.

  She wasn’t sure, but said the two of them would be talking away quietly, then whenever she came into the room she could tell they’d changed the subject. There was a meeting at their house last week and some of the people who were at the meeting with Tigi came, including Mr. Parker and Mr. Morrison. I really want to know what’s going on now.

  THURSDAY, 2 September

  * * *

  Me and the others put our money together to give to Dad. Lenny must have used heaps of his because I put $6, Lily put $8, but altogether we gave Dad $63.

  I hadn’t thought about how it would make Dad feel, but when we presented it to him tonight, he was obviously shocked as he didn’t say anything for ages. He just sat there, tapping the arm of his chair. That’s when I realised he was trying not to cry. When he did speak, his voice was really wavery and it was hard to hear him. All he said was, “Thank you, son, thank you, girls,” then Mum got her hanky out and started dabbing her eyes.

  We all sat there like statues for a bit, then Lenny said, “Hey, Dad, we’re a team.”

  And I said, “Are we the kind of team that eats doughnuts for supper?”

  Everyone laughed, then Mum said, “How about some pikelets?”

  FRIDAY, 3 September

  * * *

  Charlotte has found out what the boys are up to. They are planning a protest at Parliament!

  “NO WAY!” I said. “Dad will kill Lenny if he finds out.”

  She told me they’re protesting about an ad that was on TV last year as part of Muldoon’s election campaign.

  I thought, Wha-a-at? That doesn’t sound like something worth protesting about. Charlotte didn’t get it either. I’ll have to ask Lenny what’s going on. Cha
rlotte thinks the protest is going to be next week. Oh boy, I hope there’s not going to be trouble in our house because of this.

  Only one more week of holidays, BOOHOO. Oh well, at least we have another holiday coming up in October, I can’t wait to go to Auckland and see everyone again.

  SATURDAY, 4 September

  * * *

  A fire engine came to our house today!

  Mum and Dad went out early to the plant shop and us kids all stayed home. When they got back there was a fire engine and firemen on our front lawn. No prizes for guessing who was responsible … Dumbo #1, Ethan, and Dumbo #2, Tavita. When they got up, they decided to make homemade chips for breakfast. They peeled and sliced the spuds and put a heap of dripping fat in a pot on the stove to heat up. Then they went out to play cricket.

  Me, Lily, and Lenny were still in bed. Next thing there was smoke pouring out the kitchen door and Mr. Wallace, our neighbour, was in our kitchen saving the day while Mrs. Wallace called the fire brigade. Once the boys realised what was happening, they hid under the house.

  Mum and Dad got a heck of a fright to find a fire engine, some firemen, and the neighbours on the front lawn with us big kids, but Ethan and Tavita nowhere to be found. Lenny worked out where they would be and brought them out—bawling AGAIN! They were banished to sit on the back doorstep for ages after that.