@RaeleeI note the postcard from Shark.
This prompts me:
I know this is not from your immediate generational roots but does this have any meaning for your culture?
In early school years I learned a song like this:
Pōkarekare ana They are agitated
ngā wai o Waiapu, the waters of Waiapu,
Whiti atu koe hine But when you cross over girl
marino ana e. they will be calm.
E hine e Oh girl
hoki mai ra. return to me,
Ka mate ahau I could die
I te aroha e. of love for you.
Tuhituhi taku reta I have written my letter
tuku atu taku rīngi, I have sent my ring,
Kia kite tō iwi so that your people can see
raru raru ana e. that I am troubled.
Whati whati taku pene My pen is shattered,
ka pau aku pepa, I have no more paper
Ko taku aroha But my love
mau tonu ana e. is still steadfast.
E kore te aroha My love will never
e maroke i te rā, be dried by the sun,
Mākūkū tonu i It will be forever moistened
aku roimata e. by my tears.
Does this the language at the left have meaning to you?
We learnt as "Po Kare Kare Ana", a Maori love song.
The 'translation' offer to us was something like:
I spent a treasured hour
In a sacred bower
On the banks of Rotarua
With my dear one
Lov ed fair (word is broken for emphasis in song)
We spent our days
In misty haze
Know that we were
Ever ever true.
Check this out at
http://folksong.org.nz/pokarekare/index.htmlUnfortunately it seems the version which we were taught, and the only two verses given us are a mismatch (Rotarua being inserted), but the melody is hauntingly beautiful.