Witi Ihimaera - Bulibasha

Grandfather laid it on us. ‘I want you, Matiu, to take over from Hone as leader of Mahana Four. Matiu, Maaka and Sarah, you three are to replace some of the members of Mahana Four.’

Thus saith the Lord. No ifs, no buts, no maybes. Trying exactly the same tactics as with the seven-a-side hockey tournament. There was absolute silence.

Grandfather looked to Zebediah Whatu and Ihaka Mahana. ‘Do you agree? You know, don’t you, that ever since I started the Mahana shearing gangs, we have always been first in the district? If Poata One wins, I will never be able to hold my head up in this province. I am not going to trust to chance. The Poata team is fast and good. They are much faster than Mahana Four. The reputation of the Mahana shearing gang rests entirely on our ability to take the crown — the Golden Fleece.’

The family, abashed, nodded in assent.

Yes Bulibasha Bulibasha basha basha asha.

‘Then it is done,’ Grandfather said.

I was sitting at the end of the room, way down by the kitchen.

‘No it isn’t,’ I said. I stood up, my head higher than the Lord of Heaven’s.

‘Let it be, Himiona,’ my father Joshua hissed.

‘Listen to your father,’ Uncle Hone added. ‘It doesn’t matter who leads the team as long as it is a Mahana team.’

I was not going to let Grandfather get away with it. ‘Mahana Four has deserved its place in the finals. It was judged to deserve that place and was given that recognition.’

‘Mahana Four got lucky,’ Grandfather said. ‘Luck will not win this competition.’

‘It was not luck,’ I answered, standing my ground. ‘Mahana Four trained hard for the provincial finals, as hard as anybody else in this room. I have to stand up for that and for the members of Mahana Four.’

‘There will be no discussion,’ Grandfather said.

‘Yes there will .’

‘ Himiona ,’ Dad called.

I had taken a step past my kneeling uncles. I took another step to where Zebediah Whatu and Ihaka Mahana were watching. No more would I approach Bulibasha on my knees. No more would I be subservient.

‘Why are you doing this, Grandfather? Why must you always make the world go your way? Why don’t you admit that you can be wrong? All these dictatorial commandments —’

‘Whakahihi, Simeon,’ he shouted. ‘Whakahihi.’

‘And that word,’ I continued, ‘why do you always beat me over the head with it? What’s wrong with being whakahihi? Your world is changing, Bulibasha. I’m one of the ones who is changing it.’

I paused. I took a breath. I had gone this far; I may as well go the whole hog.

‘Legally, Mahana is bound to send the same team to Masterton that won. That team is Mahana Four. The rules do not allow substitutions.’

‘Rules are made to be broken. I am the law.’

‘No you’re not. Even if you were, you are not above it. If you persist, Grandfather, the authorities will disqualify us.’

‘What they don’t know won’t hurt them.’

‘But they will find out.’

My mouth was dry. I was about to commit the ultimate heresy.

‘Tell me how?’ Grandfather asked. He was dangerous. His eyes glittered.

‘I will tell them.’

‘The family always comes first, Himiona.’

‘Yes, Grandfather, it does.’ I answered. ‘But not even the family is above the law.’

I knew that I had gone too far — over the lip of the known world and into insanity. Behind and around me was a forbidding hush. I realised I was alone on this issue. When Grandfather Tamihana came for me, hip-hopping across the room, I knew that this was just between me and him — nobody would come to my defence.

Grandfather lifted me up by the scruff of the neck. He pulled me out of the drawing room, past Mum and Dad and into the kitchen. He threw me out into the back yard. When Grandmother tried to stop him, he roared, ‘Stay out of this.’

He turned to me.

‘Ever since you were born —’

Jabbing me like a boxer.

‘You have been like a viper at my bosom —’

Hitting my stomach, my chest.

‘Every time I want something —’

Feinting at my face.

‘You are always there to confound me —’

The first hit to my temple. Blood pouring from the cut.

‘Not any more.’

Slowly and methodically Grandfather began to take me apart. Oh, I could have fought back, but what was the use? Grandfather would have beaten me to pulp in time. Better to let him get it over with. It was faster this way. I tasted blood on my lips. I saw everything in a haze. The family had come out to watch, standing there on the verandah.

Yes, I suppose I had this coming. After all, the family did come first and I had challenged that commandment. Yes, I suppose I did deserve it, but oh shit standing up for your principles hurt –

Then I heard somebody screaming and yelling. Someone small was running across the back yard.

Glory.

‘You leave my brother alone!’

She jumped onto Grandfather Tamihana’s back. She put her legs around his waist and began to claw at his eyes.

‘Run, Simeon,’ Glory cried. ‘ Run !’

She was a raging cyclone of fists and fury, spitting like a kitten. I tried to warn her that she was in danger, but my mouth was filled with blood.

No, no, Glory. Play dead, darling. Play dead.

The bastard was hitting her too. He reached behind, tore Glory from his back and threw her against the pump. She squealed with shock.

‘Glory, no —’

I ran to my sister. Grandfather was after us.

‘That’s enough, Father.’

A strong arm came behind Grandfather to restrain him.

‘These are my children, Father. So help me God, I will kill you if you raise another hand against either of them.’

My father, Joshua, was standing between us. His voice was all choked up. He was trembling with sorrow.

‘Get out of the way, Joshua,’ Grandfather threatened. ‘That boy needs to be taught a lesson.’

‘Please don’t make me do this,’ Dad said. ‘Please —’

Grandfather tried to push past him. My father’s fist came up. He cracked Grandfather on the jaw. Grandfather fell. He was like a huge tree, crashing in slow motion to the ground. The silence surrounding his fall was thunderous.

Dad started to sob. ‘Oh God forgive me —’

Slowly, the family emerged from the verandah. My mother and Grandmother Ramona came to me, Glory and my father Joshua. Zebediah Whatu, Ihaka Mahana and aunts and uncles gathered around Grandfather to help him up and into the house. Uncle Hone put an arm around me.

‘It will be all right,’ he said.

A spell was broken that night — a spell that had been cast for a long time. The spell had to be broken so that we could all grow. But as with all momentous changes, the breaking of the spell came with great sadness. The children of Ranginui, when they separated their father sky from their mother earth so that they could walk upright, must have felt exactly as we did on that night.

Three weeks later a huge crowd from Gisborne and the East Coast came to farewell the special steam express which was travelling from Gisborne to Masterton via Napier, Hastings, Waipukurau and Dannevirke carrying the two teams from Gisborne who were representing the province in the Golden Fleece competition. The whole town was caught up in the excitement, no doubt assisted by the local newspaper editor who likened our journey to that taken by the Greek hero Jason and his valiant argonauts, who sought and finally won the golden fleece. Even the mayor could not resist the opportunity for some classical allusion of his own.

‘The hopes of the district go with you,’ he said. ‘On your return, we will look for a white sail of victory rather than the black sail of disappointment.’