Kaura kite
pakanga (2)
Chapter
4
(Discipline
changed at the Porahu)
During the late 1950’s June
married Kiri Aramakutu of Marangairoa (Awatere)
Mum informed us little ones
that our new sister-in-law was a school teacher, and she will be coming
to Porahu to live with us.
We (Mahiti, Kaura and me) dreaded
School teachers. This was as a result of all the stories told to us
by the older ones Douglas and Rua and the straps they and their friends
got at Rangitukia school by school teachers there.
We assumed that every teacher
was the same and each one had their own personal strap some bigger than
others.
Kaura, Mahiti and I were of
our best behaviour. (for a very short time).
June and Kiri had the bedroom
accessed from the parlour.
When June and Kiri went out
for the day, Kaura and I would climb through their bedroom window and
go through their bags and boxes of wedding presents looking for her
teachers strap.
We would be very careful not
to leave any trace of our search.
I would say to Kaura, “May
be she took it with her to strap other naughty kids along the Maraehara
road”
I remember saying this at June
and Kiris 50th. Wedding anniversary in Gisborne recently,
I could see the smile on Kaura’s face.
Sister Kiri did not need her
school teacher strap to discipline us not only because we respected
her but also when they got married she brought new furniture at Porahu,
a lounge suit, a large radio which we could listen to, to name a few.
That was the first time I ever heard songs of Elvis Presley and the
Everly brothers.
When the door to their bedroom
was locked, Kaura, Mahiti and I would sit in the parlour and listen
to the music.
For a year I was sent to Auckland
to take Edith to school. I dreaded it. I could not wait to get back
to Porahu to be with Mahiti and Kaura and to do what we did best, climb
trees, play cowboys and Indians and hunt for eels, possum, etc.
I recall seeing photos taken
at Porahu during my absent of Kaura, mum, Derna, Kiri and Mahiti.
(Collecting our stores from Puke
Waihi’s stand)
Puke Waihi’s homestead is
located across the Maraehara creek not far from the Maraehara woolshed.
The stand referred to above
was a small box secured beside the road adjacent to the swinging bridge
straddling the Maraehara creek leading to Puke Waihi’s home.
When required mum would ring
through to the Tikitiki Farmers to order our stores (Groceries)
The Waiapu Farmers would organise
to have the items transported to Puke Waihi’s stand. Generally the
items would be wrapped up with ‘Fox’ written on the front.
Mum would call out to Kaura
and I, “Hopuna a korua hoiho, haere korua kite tiki a tatau stores
kei te stand a Puke” “You two catch your horses and collect our
stores from Puke’s stand”
Kaura would say to me “Taku
mohio nei torutoru noiho nga stores, mahau no e tiki atu” “I am
sure there are only a few stores to collect. You should be able to collect
it with out my help”
I would call out to mum “He
aha na stores?” “What do the stores comprise of?”
She would reply “ He pata,
he huka, he tote” “Butter, sugar, salt”
Kaura would reply, “Ka kite,
torutoru noiho” “See, not many at all”
Then mum would say, “A, me
nga paipa ma Tione raua ko Hune” “Oh! it also includes tobacco for
John and June”
Before mum had completed the
sentence Kaura would call out to me. “Ko taua haere, maku hopu a taua
hoiho inaeanei” “I’ll come with you, I’ll go and catch our horses
now”
No sooner had we mounted our
horses, Kaura egged his horse on in an attempt to get to the stores
before me. I would call out, “He aha te whawhai?” “What’s the
hurry?”
I couldn’t catch up with
him.
By the time I had arrive to
Puke’s stand he had already reorganised the stores saying.
“Mahau e mau mai nga pata
te huka me te tote, maku mau nga paipa ma Tione raua ko Hune, he peke
hoki kei roto i taku koti”
“You can carry the butter,
sugar and salt, I’ll carry the tobacco for John and June because I
have pockets in my coat”
We departed with our stores.
I egged my horse into a trot
and Kaura would call out. “Kare mahi whawhai, ata haere noiho taua”
“There is no need to hurry. Just take our time”
within about 5 minutes, I looked
back, my mate was smoking. I said to him.
“A kuni koe ka patua e Tione
raua ko Hune mo te kai a raua paipa”
“Soon John and June will
flog you for smoking their tobacco”
He would reply. “Kaua e whakina
koe, kare raua mohio” “Don’t you tell them and they wont know”
Kaura often open the rear of
the tobacco packet, take out what he required and restructured the packed
removing any traces of access.
Kaura took his time and I had
to wait for him otherwise if I arrive home without Kaura questions would
be asked by Mum, June and John.
As we arrived, mum would say,
“He aha korua e roa ana?” “What took you two so long?”
Kaura would come to the rescue
saying “Ata haere noiho maua, kei te ahua pahore a maua whero, kore
hoki a maua tera”
“We took our time because
our bottoms were aching as a result of riding without saddles.”
When Kaura replied, mum knew
that he was up to no good. Mum could smell smoked tobacco coming from
him. But she dare say anything in case it alerts June and John.
John was the first to check
his tobacco.
“Ha! Rere ke tenei pakete
tupeka, mama noiho”
Ha! There is something strange
about this packet of tobacco. It is a bit light”
Soon there was a call from
John, for both Kaura and I to report to him.
We stood there like Jesus before
Pontius Pilate.
I said to myself.
“Kaura your time of judgement
has come and I am your saviour”
“Nawai kinikini aku paipa!”
“Who picked at my tobacco!?”
Both would reply, “hara naku”
“Not me”
John would turn to me “I
kite koe ia Kaura e kai ana aku paipa?” “Did you see Kaura smoke
my tobacco?”
I looked at Kaura with tears
of fear in his eyes. I replied “No”
John turned me again and said,
“Ke tika to korero, kore
ka pahore ke ko to whero i aua”
“You better tell the truth
or your back-side will be aching after I finish with you”
Fear came to me in an instant.
I looked at Kaura and there were more tears in his eyes than earlier.
I replied “No he did not see him smoke your tobacco”
John believed me ‘Whew!’
and Kaura was pardoned.
