I have been writing short stories from our 2nd home: Aotearoa, called 'Corona-diaries from the MiddleEarth' since the 1st lockdown. There are 110 corona-diaries on my Facebook account so far and keep going... The aim is to inform our relatives and friends back home in Europe about Kiwi life, Kiwi people with their art, culture, traditions. Yesterday I wrote a post – dedicated to Māori language week (Te Wiki o te Reo Māori) how I finally understood what the famous voyager's (Kupe) wife meant when she cried: 'He Ao! He Aotea! He Aotearoa! (Cloud! White cloud! Long white cloud!)'. It's even more visible during the summer period. The best place where to raise a child.
We're learning Māori songs, waiatas (including lullabies – oriori) together with my daughter Tove Tui. I'm happy that she'll learn Māori language at school. Because that's the only way – how to be aware of the history of our ancestors, how to build our identity and keep the stories (whakapapa) alive. So for me as a story-teller, journalist and mom the most important word (kupu) will always be: 'whakapapa'. And the most important saying (kiwaha) of these tough covid days could be: 'Never waste a good crisis. (Kaua e maumauria he raru pai).' All these lockdowns are really good opportunity for all of us to pause, think and make a positive social change in our community... Let's give it a try.
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