Location: Waikanae. Which, turns out, is less random than it seems.
Type of site: Not what some people expect but too bad for them.
Condition: Imposter.
Scene: Mirror gazing.
I’ve been told I don’t look like I’m from Taranaki
that I don’t have that Taranaki look about me.
I don’t know what the Taranaki look, looks like.
I think I do look like Pirihira,
our hair falls from the top of our heads
in the shape of our mountain
I have Ani’s nose,
slightly too big for our faces
broad but not flat
I have my Grandad’s eyes,
round, moon eyes.
I’ve been told I don’t sound like
I’m from Taranaki,
that my reo has too many
“wh’s” and not enough soft “w’s”.
But my ancestor’s stories still
fall from my lips
and trip across my pages.
Even if I don’t sound,
like you want me to sound
I’ve been told I should go back
to where
my ancestors came from in Taranaki.
I don’t know where in Taranaki my ancestors came from
my Mum doesn’t know where in Taranaki my ancestors came from
I wonder if my Grandad knew where in Taranaki my ancestors came from
but we do know
where in Wellington
they came to
Te Aro Pa
and
we know their names
we know their names
we know their names
Sometimes I feel like I’m fake Taranaki
because my attitudes Hauitian
I move my hips like a Nāti
and my skin's pretty fair
I may not have a Taranaki look about me
I may not sound like I’m from Taranaki,
but I am.
