An Illusion of the Ocean

My Dear Princess and Dear Fellow,

"What are you doing for Matariki?"

This was Abi. 

Dammit. 

I had been planning to sit on my b*mhole for Matariki. 

Matariki is the Māori New Year and, since the lovely days of the last Labour government, a public holiday in Aotearoa. 

Wellington (Pōneke) had set up a series of Matariki-related events down by the harbour. So I arranged to meet Abi after work on Thursday to go take a look. 

Also on Thursday, I met Olly for lunch. It was so nice to see her again. She told me that her husband and doggie are currently staying with his parents. 

I felt bad that she was on her own so invited her to join Abi and me for dinner at Monsoon Poon then down to the waterfront for Matariki time. 

We had HEAPS of fun. Olly is very curious about life in the UK and peppered Abi with questions. In return, Abi got to ask all about Pōneke from someone who grew up here. 

Dinner was great, I love Monsoon Poon. Afterward we wandered towards the lights and fires of the celebrations. Abi got to play a Māori stick game, she listened to Waiata and also heard stories about the discovery of Aotearoa.

One of her favourites was the story of Kupe and his wife, who discovered Aotearoa after it was fished up from the ocean by the demi-god Maui. 

Kupe was in his waka, searching for new lands by following the stars. Specifically the fish-hook of Maui (Te Mātau-a-Maui) a group of stars in the southern skies. 

His wife was standing in the waka alongside Kupe when she called out, "He ao! He ao! Aotearoa!" 

Kupe disregarded his wife and told her that it was just an illusion of the ocean. But she insisted they should go and have a look and indeed found that it was land. In fact, what Kupe's wife had seen were the Southern Alps, which have been known ever since as Te Tiritiri o Te Moana (the illusion of the ocean). 

The fellow telling the tale stood in front of an open fire and Abi laid in a bean-bag, taking in the story, the smell of the fire and the memories of a fun night together. 

After this we headed back home. We went to the train station and Abi got chips at MacDonalds. I had to go for a wee and left her there. 

I guess I was gone longer than expected. I got a message ON THE GROUP CHAT, "Are you pooing?"

Outed. The indignity. 

The train ride home went quickly. We talked the whole way and laughed the entire way home. 

It was a good Matariki. I'm glad Abi asked.

S.