Õtautahi Christchurch lies on the edge of the Canterbury Plains bounded by the Cashmere Hills, the home of Kahukura – Red Cloak of the Sky – to the east and Aoraki and the Southern Alps to the west.
Even in the heart of winter hot winds come and Kahukura rises from the Cashmere Hills and fans out, red hued across the sky, forming the Nor’West Arc. This collection of poetry tells the tale of growing up, living and dreaming here in this place – where twilight burns the sky. The cover painting is by Lucy Mhoma.
Song of the Ngai Tahu Woman 1843
I saw six ships in the harbour
loaded with flotsam and jetsam
of half starving peoplepallid white faces
hurt beyond hurting
as if they had seen too much deathspring rain thick in the air so I can breath it
wind blowing the trees ragged trying
to remember the way back to where I came fromwater on black bark of kowhai
birds on branches of rata falling
holes in the soles of my remembering
rocks mud and sea
snow thundering sky clouds
the spring in every blossom seeing