Ancient Future
by
Jason Watson
SMASHWORDS EDITION
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PUBLISHED BY:
Jason Watson on Smashwords
Ancient Future
Copyright © 2010 by Jason Watson
All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.
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This ebook is dedicated my daughter; Natasha and her Tuhoe whakapapa.
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Ancient Future
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New Zealand, 1988
“His body lay broken on the ground, the Maori warrior stood over him with his Mere raised for a follow-up blow, but it wasn’t needed. The thick dark blue fabric of the dying man’s tunic was soaking up a pool of his own blood like a sponge, the light of life slowly leaving his eyes.”
That was how Kevin pictured it, he had had the same daydream for the past few days; it seemed to come to him whenever he closed his eyes for longer than a few minutes. It had only been happening for a week or so and for the life of him Kevin couldn’t think of any story he had read that had a scene like that, it was weird. Maybe it was a story he heard when he was really young, the tribe that Kevin’s mother came from was once a strong and proud people but something had happened in their past that had changed them into a weak, defeated tribe… but that was all ancient history Kevin told himself, “It was just a day-dream”.
You see; although Kevin was eleven (but almost twelve; as Kevin reminded everyone who asked) he read like his life depended on it, he read everything he could get his hands on; he was reading the newspaper front-to-back before he was old enough to go to school! On special weekends Kevin and his Mum went into town where they did their favourite thing; spending the morning looking through the books in the second-hand bookstore. But that particular morning Kevin found an old book about his grandfather’s tribe (Hapu) and the land wars; it was a very old book, but it was like finding gold.
He suddenly felt a weight on his chest and opening his eyes he saw his brother dump a load of green plants on him. His brother, Tane said in an annoyed voice, “Here’s the watercress WE got for Mum, get off you’re lazy bum and help”, to show that he meant business, Tane followed his comments up with a kick in the ribs… not a hard one though. Kevin was the youngest of the family, so he was treated like the baby, he didn’t mind too much. Sitting up, Kevin saw his two other brothers in the creek, up to their knees in water, also collecting some watercress. Kevin had three brothers: Tane; the eldest at 19, then the twins: Terry and Damon who were 17. Terry was excitedly motioning to Tane, “Pass me the spear bro’, there’s an eel over there”, motioning towards the bank. It rained a little last night and when it rains eels’ wrap themselves around exposed underwater tree roots to stop from being swept away by the strong current the rain stirs up. Tane casually tossed him the three-pronged eeling spear and Terry carefully lined up a shot at the condemned meal. Terry was a well-practiced shot and the eel let go of the root it was anchored to and wrapped itself around the lower part of the spear. Terry retrieved the spear and threw it and it’s target up onto the bank. Tane looked down at it and said, “Choice bro’”! With Tane’s approval sealed, they all now gathered around it and hooted their delight, Terry picked up a medium sized rock from out of the creek and struck the eel on it’s head, ending it’s suffering. They had gotten everything they went there for so Kevin packed the watercress into a plastic shopping bag and they headed home.
When they got home it was still only late morning, the three eldest boys took the eel’s carcass over to an outside table, where they were going to prepare it to go into the homemade corrugated iron shed that they used to smoke then dry fish or meat. Kevin took the bag inside, his Mum was standing there, on the phone, chatting away to someone as usual, she ended the phone-call and motioned to Kevin and said, “How’d it go Bubs?” (Bubs was his nickname – Kevin never minded being called that because he knew, he just knew, that one day he’d do something really big; the everyone would have to respect him ). “Oh, pretty good eh, Terry got an eel too, they’re getting it ready”, he replied, vaguely motioning to the backyard. She smiled with that huge white grin that secretly Kevin loved (sometimes he would tell her a joke just to see her smile). “D’ya wanna help me wash this Bubs”? She said emptying the bag into the kitchen sink. Kevin shook his head and instead went up to his bedroom.
There were two sets of bunks in the room, he and Tane shared one set, Terry and Damon the other, being small he had the bottom bunk. Kevin had a book that he was reading about the “Maori Wars” hidden under his pillow: they were the wars that Maori (the indigenous people of New Zealand) had with the English crown (who invaded New Zealand and confiscated land). Kevin was a “townie”, his family didn’t talk about their past much, he remembered reading an old book about Custer’s last stand at Little Big-horn, a famous battle between “the white-man” (US Lt. Colonel Custer’s company of soldiers). The story told how Custer’s regiment of cavalry soldiers were all killed by an ambush set by six American Indian tribes working together. Custer’s company was attacked by a group of Indians led by the infamous chief called “Crazy horse”. Kevin had considered asking everyone to call him Crazy Kevin, but quickly realised how silly it sounded. Instead he went back to thinking about Custer’s last stand: he wished he had a past like that because there was no history for him to read about. Well at least no EXCITING history like Little Big-horn.
Until now that is how Kevin thought but this book was telling him differently. It was telling him that the Maori were (and are) a very proud race that fought very bravely and fiercely. Eventually though, the sheer size of the forces marshalled against the Maori by the British crown spelt a certain eventual defeat. One big factor in the defeat was the fact that British soldiers were full-time fighters while Maori still had to tend gardens, gather water and do the myriad of other chores necessary for a subsistence life. This is exactly what Kevin wanted to read about his own country; he felt in his bones that the watered-down, neat and clean history of New Zealand was only part of the story. His people were proud and were once warriors that fought against a viscous and brutal tyranny. Up till the point that Kevin read this book he, like most other New Zealanders had been taught the vanilla, boring history of the English: the winners. He had been taught at school that until the British came, Aotearoa (A-Oh-Tay-Ah-Rower: Land of the long white cloud - the Maori name for New Zealand), was a savage, chaotic shambles. But this book was telling a very different story.
Filing noisily into the room, his brothers roused him from his thoughts. Kevin quickly closed the book and put it back under his pillow. Sitting on Kevin’s bunk Tane said, “That eel is choice, good Kai, good food, it’ll be ready for tonight”. The three elder boys got ready to go out, Kevin eyed their preparations with suspicion and said, “where are you going, can I come”? ever hopeful. Tane said, “Yeah bubs, we’re going to the rugby, but we’re going to stay on for the after match, I’ll drive you home after the game. Hurry up and get ready”. Kevin knew that his brother was telling him that they were planning on drinking after the game; there would probably be girls there too. “Cool, who’s playing”? Asked Kevin. Over his shoulder Damon said, “Us and a team from up North where Mum comes from”. Kevin was really excited now, not only was he going out with his brothers (more often than not they said no), but he was also going to she his Mum’s Whanau, her family.
Tane’s car was a big old Holden with the type of front seat that went all the way across. It was a rusty old hunk of junk but to the Family it was a Rolls Royce. When Kevin was riding in it he felt like he was ten feet tall and bullet-roof (which was good because although Tane had the engine purring like a kitten, the body was held together with number eight fencing wire and duct tape). Because the make of car was a Holden, they used to say jokingly it was “just Holden together”.
The game was good; the local team lost, but only just. The big thing for Kevin was watching the visitors who were watching the game. Their smiles were like his mothers. Not identical but big and white, somehow he felt close to these people. After the game a man and a woman walked up and introduced themselves to Tane. Tane bought them over to Kevin and said, “Bubs, this is Aunty Aroha and Uncle Jason. Aunty is mum’s sister”. Her smile was almost as welcoming a mums, Kevin couldn’t help but like her. Uncle was a big strong man in a woollen shirt with the sleeves rolled up, his arms looked thicker than Kevin’s legs! Tane said, “Uncle is going to stay here, but I’ll drive you and Aunty home”. Kevin let his aunty hold his hand, which he didn’t usually let people do, but it was automatic. When they pulled into their street, Kevin could see his Mum out by the letterbox, she turned and seeing the car, started to wave wildly. Aroha had the door open before the car stopped and as soon a Tane had pulled up she jumped out and hugged her sister madly. Kevin slid over and got out, giving his brother the raised eyebrows and nod that passed for thanks. Tane said, “Night Mum, night Aunty” and drove off in the direction of the rugby clubrooms.
Kevin’s mother and Aunty Aroha strolled hand in hand into the house, Kevin thought about his mum; she always seemed happy. They headed for the kitchen and his mother put the jug on to make everyone a hot drink. Kevin noticed that the eel had been brought inside and was being prepared for eating. “Moana, is that eel for tea”? Said Kevin’s Aunty. Believe it or not that was the first time he had heard his mothers name, it was beautiful. In Maori it means “of the sea”. Moana nodded her yes. Aroha sat down at the kitchen table and started telling her sister everything new in their hometown.
Kevin’s mother had met a boy (Matthew, also a Maori but from another tribe) from a nearby town. You know the story, boy meets girl, they fall in love, soon there is a third party on the way, Tane. The family didn’t like the fact that Matthew was from a tribe that they had been feuding with for hundreds of years – something about the Chief’s daughter being kidnapped and an ensuing battle. They refused to let Matthew and Moana get married, so the two lovers did what young lovers often do and they eloped. They moved to the city (Wellington) and lived on the outskirts of the town. Unfortunately Matthew was killed in an accident at work, Kevin was only two years old at the time and hardly remembered his father at all. Even though her family had begged and pleaded with her to come back home, she refused, saying her life was in Wellington now. That was how it had been for as long as Kevin could remember, he vaguely recalled visiting his mother’s whanau, family, there were some farm animals, but nothing specific.
Moana and Aroha talked for hours and hours, eventually they made tea together, then they sat down and talked some more. Kevin didn’t know when they had time to eat because of all the talking but the food slowly disappeared from their plates.
Eventually Moana must have noticed Kevin’s heavy eyelids, she motioned for him to go to bed. Even though he had been trying to hide how tired he was, Kevin rose without an argument and accepted the peck on his cheeks, one from his mother, the other from his Aunty. He shuffled off to bed with the resignation of a condemned man facing the inevitability of the gallows. Snuggling under the sheets he drifted away almost instantly.
Moana and Aroha had now shifted their conversation onto things they couldn’t mention with the boy around. “Sis’, you gotta let me take Bubs back to see the family”, said Aroha with a pleading look in her eyes. Moana looked down at her feet and admitted, “Yeah, you’re right, he’s old enough now to go by himself”. The older boys had been going back home once a year or so, but Bubs hadn’t gone, now was the right time. Hearing that greatly pleased Aroha, she was under strict orders from the family to bring Bubs back for a visit. She had prepared a big long speech in the car on the way down as to why it was important for Bubs to see the rest of his family and for them to see him.
Kevin had a really strange dream. In his dream he was standing beside an old wooden fence, he was looking up at a mountain shrouded in mist. Kevin could even see the shape of the mountain; it looked like a volcano with the top of it missing. The strange thing about the dream was that even though the mountain was shrouded in mist and miles away, he could see a man motioning him. The man was signalling him to come closer, which he did, at a huge speed until he seemed only a few feet away from the man. The man was tall and strong looking with jet-black hair and eyes, he was talking too, but no sound was coming out of his mouth. The man had a big brown cloak around his shoulders. Perhaps the oddest thing of all was the calmness that Kevin felt, kind of like this happened every day.
Kevin had slept so soundly he hadn’t even heard his three older brothers come in, but when he woke he still felt tired. He got up and went out to the kitchen. His Mum and aunty were already up, a bowl of cornflakes and glass of orange juice were waiting for him. Once he had finished his breakfast his mother sat down beside him and said, “Bubs, Aunty is going to take you back to see my family, you be a good boy”. Before Kevin could say anything Uncle Jason Walked in and asked for some water for the radiator in his car. Aunty filled up an empty drink bottle that was on the bench and handed it to him. “Choice”, He said and headed back outside, a few minutes later he came back in and said, “Ok honey, we’re ready to head off”. Aroha gave her sister a long hug and said, “I’ll give you a ring as soon as we get home”. Moana nodded her thanks, walking over to Kevin, she gave him a peck on the cheek saying, “Ok Bubs, you behave yourself and remember to call me”. She had packed a bag for Kevin last night, uncle Jason picked it up on his way out to the car. It was a nice new car; there was a lot more room in it than Tane’s Holden and it smelled a lot nicer. It was the first time Kevin had been in a car with electric windows and he made them go up and down a few times, his aunty and uncle didn’t mind, it was something kids always did, even they had done it too the first time they got in the car. To distract Kevin, his uncle told him about the CD player in the car, Kevin new what a CD was (they had one at home on Tane’s stereo at home) but he listened politely. It was a long drive but they stopped at a few service stations to use the loo and get some food. It was fun; Kevin enjoyed himself. When they finally pulled into a oddly familiar looking driveway, a small group of cars were parked on the front-lawn of a big house, Kevin could see fences and animals, he was going to enjoy it here. His uncle unloaded the car while Kevin’s aunty took him by the hand and led him inside. There were a dozen adults waiting for Kevin inside the house, there were lots of smiles and that made Kevin feel comfortable. Some of the older women began to cry as they smiled, this was new to Kevin and a little off-putting, he snuggled closer to his aunty, but she looked at him reassuringly. Aunty did the introductions, but when she got to an old man, as mark of respect she paused and greeted him first and then said, “This is your Granddad; Koru”. “Ki ora Bubs”, he said. Even though he was obviously very old, his eyes were very bright and his smile was warm and welcoming. “I’m going to tell you all about our Puna, your ancestors”, he said. An old lady (Kevin’s grandmother said, “You stop hogging Bubs Koru, he needs to get some kai, some food, into him”. The sun had gone down and even though Kevin was excited he was suddenly incredibly tired. Before they sent him off to bed, Kevin’s aunty phoned his mother as promised. After the call she took the tired boy up to the room he would be staying in, he went to sleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.
Kevin had that dream again; the one about seeing the man in the mist of the mountain. It happened exactly how it had happened before, but this time he heard the man. “Come” he was saying, “Come” Kevin followed him to the base of the highest tree on the mountain, then the man pointed at a place between two thick roots, but he didn’t say anything. The ground there seemed to part as if by an unseen hand, a carved wooden box lay there and Kevin was left with the distinct impression that it was very important. Everything was going dark again, like night was descending, he looked up at the man, but he wasn’t there anymore.
With a sensation like he was falling, Kevin awoke with a start. “Bubs, BUBS, breakfast is ready”! Yelled his aunty. All three people sitting around the table looked up and smiled as Kevin came in the room. There was toast and cereal and all sorts of food on the table, his aunty came in and put a bowl in front of him, filled it up with museli and put some milk on it. “He needs a real breakfast, not that bird food”, said his grandmother, passing him a plate of bacon and eggs. His aunty intercepted the plate and said, “Na, he likes muesli”, and went back out to the kitchen. “D’ya wanna come with me to work today Bubs”? Said uncle Jason. The old lady gave her son-in-law a stern glance and said, “You’ll be shearing sheep all day, he’ll get bored, Na, he’ll stay here, we’ll teach him how to ride”, she said in a matter-of-fact tone. Jason knew better than to argue with her so instead he stood up, ruffling Kevin’s hair, he went out to the kitchen, he gave his wife a kiss on the cheek and said “I’ll home about 6”. She didn’t turn away from what she was doing but said, “OK hon, have a good day”.
His grand mother was still looking at him. “He’s got our nose”, She said; she was fussing over him like he was a little baby. Koru lowered the newspaper he was reading and said, “Leave the boy alone, he knows what he wants”, and went back to reading the newspaper. After a few minutes he added, “If you’ve finished poking and prodding the boy, I’ll take him out and teach him how to ride Jeke”. Jeke was a nice looking horse; she was well trained and came to Koru when he whistled to her. “You ever ridden a horse Bubs”? Koru asked. Kevin shook his head, “Na, mum says we can’t afford one”. Koru looked at the ground for a bit then said, “Well I’m gonna teach you how to ride this one, she’s a smart old girl, she’ll look after you”. Koru saddled her up and lifted Kevin into the saddle then said, “I’m going to ride Utu”. He opened the gate to the enclosure and led Jeke (carrying Kevin) over to another fenced off pasture with another horse in it. “This is Utu, he’s a bit wilder than Jeke here, so I’ll ride him, I’ll just get him saddled up”. The horse responded to the old man’s whistle the same way as Jeke had, Koru saddled him up and in a few minutes they were trotting away from the house.