I'm not sorry any more

I’m not sorry any more is a very strong poem. What I believe the poem is about is the Europeans coming in and taking over the land. The first stanza talks about the Europeans being the boss and the islanders being the servant. This is symbolising when the Europeans came in and took over and the islanders were looked down on and had lost control over their land. The second stanza is the author asking who truly owns the land. They were fighting for whose land it really was. The third stanza talks about how the Europeans came in and took over but he won’t let it happen again, in a way is like a warning to the Europeans that he’s taking back what is his and isn’t going to let them take it again. The last stanza is also talking about him not letting the Europeans take his land. He is telling them that it is his and that he “belongs to the land”. I think this very emotionally powerful as the pacific islanders in this poem are taking a stand and are fighting for what they know is theirs. I think its sort of a warning to the Europeans that they aren’t going to let it happen again. The land is theirs and they are there to stay. I really enjoyed this poem and it makes me happy to think they are standing up for themselves and are no longer letting the Europeans take over. 

The Children

This short film is about a young Samoan boy who by his parents is expected to look after his younger siblings each day and night while his parents are out working. This short film really shows the struggles that immigrant families go through as they are in a new country with a different cultures and no money. The film follows the young boy so the audience sees all the things he does in a day, ranging from taking care of the kids, feeding them, doing the washing, going to school, Changing the babies nappies and more. The only times we see the parents in the film is when they are fighting, just leaving the house or when the mum is talking to her friend about trying to manage with a job and all. The young boy in the film has the maturity of an adult which tells the audience that he has been looking after the kids for a while and has had no choice but to grow up fast. It also gives the audience the idea that he never got his own childhood. Near the end of the film the youngest baby dies. The young boy discovers the body and starts to cry as he has lost his sibling. The parents then come in and take the baby away rushing out the door leaving him to look after the other children again. We then see the family at the funeral, the other children are making a noise so the young boy gets sent outside not giving him the chance to grieve for his lost sibling. There is then a shot of the mother holding her stomach, giving the audience the idea she is pregnant with another child. I think overall this short film is giving off the idea that the parents are not able to care for their children and be there for them as they are constantly working trying to fund the family. The shot of the mother holding her stomach is gives the idea that she hasn’t learnt from the fact her child is dead as she couldn’t care for it. This makes the audience turn against her and feel more for the young boy. This short film is very strong and powerful making people really think about the fact there are many families out there who are struggling just like this. I really enjoyed watching this short film and could see the struggle and understand the families struggle.

Sons for the return home

Sons for the return home is a great novel. It really makes the reader think about what different people go through when they move to a new place, whether it is stereotypes or pressure from family living up to certain expectations of their culture. One part that I really enjoyed reading was when the younger sons is seeing the palangi girl. I think it really shows the difference in cultures between her family and his. Sons for the return really was a great book and was an interesting read.

You and Me

You and me.
Are beyond different.
Yet we talk the same.
And share that white skin.
They look at me as they once looked at you.
But I am nothing like you.

You just went in.
Like it was your place to do so.
You took in your fancy books.
And all that money.
With all your ideas.
Thinking you were Better.
Clever.
Stronger.
Well you weren’t.

They were happy.
But you wouldn’t let them say no.
You disgust me.
And now.
Because of you.
I shamefully wear this white skin.

I wrote this poem as a response to all the white people that came to the pacific island and took over. I find it very disgusting how they thought they were better. The pacific islanders were doing fine on their own with all their traditions and family. They were living off the land and the sea. I think the white people coming in was unnecessary and destroyed what they had. Although there are benefit like the education they provided I still feel ashamed as from reading many poems no one wanted them there.

Kidnapped

The poem ‘Kidnapped’ by Ruperake Petaia is a very powerful and mood swaying piece. What I believe the poem is about is the education being supplied by the white people. I think this poem is against the education as the author doesn’t feel it is a part of his culture. The author talks about being kidnapped by “western philosophers armed with glossy pictured textbooks”. What I get from this line is the idea of the white people coming in with their rich things like textbooks thinking they were smart and powerful with their BA’s and MA’s and forcing the islander children to learn what white people learnt in the way they learnt it trying to make the islanders smart. The author also mentions the parents having to pay lots of money for their kids to keep learning.  This is very new and different for pacific islanders as at this time they were used to living off the land and their society wasn’t about money.  At the end of the poem Ruperake Petaia mentions after 15 years all he got was a piece of paper. This gives out the idea that all those years of work and money spend he got nothing out of it. I think after reading this poem it really makes you think about the way white people came into the pacific islands and took over think they were better than the islanders just because they had money. They ruined the children’s island upbringings and wasted all the money those family’s had leaving them in poverty. 

Cross

The poem ‘cross’ by Albert Wendt I believe is about Christianity coming in and taking over Albert’s land ad beliefs. The first stanza of the poem is Albert blaming Christianity. This is a very strong first stanza as the reader straight away knows his feelings toward Christianity and what the poem is about. When Albert says “cross I hate you” the reader assumes he is talking about the cross itself. It is only when he says “you are destroying my traditions” that the reader realizes it is about Christianity coming in and destroying his own culture. The second stanza is also very strong. It talks about Christianity thinking it’s better than him. The line “and never bother about me and my traditions” really sticks out to me. It shows that in this time his traditions and culture were really put down and not valued by Christianity. He also talks about Christianity seeing him as “ignorant”, “primitive” and his traditions being “disgusting”. This also emphasized how much he, his people, and their culture were looked down upon. The third stanza the goes on to Albert telling the cross to “run away”. What Albert means by this is that he doesn't want Christianity. This is also shown when he mentions civilization. This gives the idea that at the time of civilization no one wanted them there. They just came in and took over. I think this is a really strong and meaningful poem and makes the reader think about how Albert’s people would have felt at the time their traditions and culture were being taken over.

Trapped

I’m trapped.
Here.
In this place.
People call it home.
It’s not mine.
I’m just trapped.

Following your rules.
Your ideas.
Your expectations.
and I fail.
It’s not me

I’m just trapped.

It’s out there.
Somewhere.
Beyond my reach.
I want it.
But I’m here.
I’m trapped.

I wrote this poem reflecting how I feel about my life today. I’ve always wanted big things, I have big dreams of getting out of New Zealand and doing something with my life. The more time goes on the more I feel my dreams are drifting away and it makes me feel even more trapped. The second stanza reflects my family, and how they expect me to do certain things with my life, they have expectations of me I don’t want to live up to. I think that for some people living in the pacific islands they wanted to do big things with their life which for them meant moving to places like New Zealand for an education.

Once were Warriors

After studying the film ‘Once were Warriors’ I found many different themes that continue throughout the film. One main theme was identity. This was shown through many different characters as well as the title itself. The title once were warriors is implying the fact they used to be warriors but they aren't anymore. This shows loss of identity and culture. Another theme in the film I found interesting that was shown a lot is the theme of family violence. This theme is shown throughout the film, mainly through the character Jake.  Jake abusing his wife Beth relates to the theme of identity as Beth has no identity and lets Jake do this to her. Another factor to think about is the experiences  the writer Alan Duff has been through in his life influencing him to write once were warriors. Alan Duff himself was sent to Waikeria borstal, a detention center home for troubled teens. This is just like the character ‘Boogie’ who in the film ends up in a home just like Alan’s. This us just one example of the many experiences Alan put into once were warriors. Once were Warriors is a great film as it really makes the audience think about the fact there are people in this world who are dealing with all the things the characters of the film are. I believe this film put a lot of awareness out into society about family violence which is a good thing. I think it also helped the awareness of loss of culture, making the audience want to learn more about their culture and where they come from.

After researching the film Once Were Warriors, based on the novel by Alan Duff, I feel that this film is crucial in order to stop the number of domestic violence going on within families of Auckland, particularly Maoris and Pacific Islanders living in South Auckland. Once were Warriors was set in a state housing area in Otara, one of Auckland's worst hit suburbs in terms of violence and poverty. My personal opinion is that this film could ultimately be a wake-up call to families who have experienced domestic violence , and that this film is graphic enough to deliver the message.

Response to an original poem

Last year, spoken word poet Grace Taylor came to my school to deliver her poetry and let us create our own masterpieces. My poem, or a "rap", was about my best friend from high school, a South Korean student. Despite not being from the Pacific Islands, the poem delivered a message that all cultures could be friends and that me and Peter (best friend) even thought we both have completely diverse backgrounds and live differently, we came together and found true friendship within.

This is the first verse to my poem:
My brother, I have another ,
But Peter Kim, there is no other

The verses are talking about my brother, also another way to describe a friend. "I have another" implies my actual brother, and finally, the last verse says I will never find anyone like Peter.

The poem was very successful among the peers, amazing how it only took about 3 minutes to create it. I was mentioned on Grace's South Auckland Poets Collective blog that July. This is how she described it:

In the final exercise of the workshop we were going around the group for ‘open floor’ as each student shared their poems. It arrived to the final person to share, which happened to be a wonderfully intelligent young man who also seemed to fall into the unpopular crowd.  Slightly awkward young man but so helpful and always engaged well in our workshops.  He announces to the class, ‘I don’t have a poem…….I have a rap”.  His fellow students are either shocked or amused in their response.  We quieten the class down and tell the young man to drop his rap for us.  It begins as a slow start and uncertain.  But then a flow in his words starts to emerge and he is actually rapping, he begins putting insanely good words, phrases and ideas together so well.  The class start cheering him on, when I joined in, I got told “sshhh” by some of the 1st fifteen boys so they could hear him.  Finally he finishes, and the entire class erupts in excitement.  People are slapping the floor, high-fiving each other, hollaring and tapping the young man on the back in admiration.  It was a priceless moment, a young man that is the least likely most awkward student in the class and probably school, literally finding his voice right in front of his eyes and being celebrated by his peers.  Now THAT is spoken word poetry.

My friendship got stronger after that, and it reminded me that everyone can be friends no matter who you are. 

Belles of the South Seas (1944)

After watching Belles of the South Seas, I felt as if Pacific Islanders today have lost their culture. In this short film, set in 1944, I saw a detailed insight into life on 6 different islands, all showing true meaning to the Pacific theme (e.g how Samoans get their food by climbing up trees getting cocounuts and weaving flax into baskets to catch fish) In this generation, with many immigrating to New Zealand, plus a major technology boom, Polynesians wouldn't catch fish anymore by weaving flax, but instead use a fishing rod and boat. I feel the islanders today have lost their traditional values by immigrating to this country. However, as they show Maoris boiling bags of water into geysers, today they still manage to make hangi's, boiling food underground as many of the geysers hyave become extinct. I feel the Maoris continue to hold culture as a first priority, by continuing to make hangis to cook food, the traditional way. In conclusion, since many Maoris haven't migrated from New Zealand, culture is considered very important, whereas many Pacific Islanders have migrated from their home country to New Zealand, they have started a new life here and I feel they have forgotten about where their roots come from, the only exception being Polyfest, a NZ event where Polynesian cultures combine to present where they originally derive from.