was it over there?â she said, leaning her head towards the wharenui. âStill too much chatter?â
âLetâs go somewhere more private. It might take a while.â
Today Taiki didnât take Haani to their usual spot. There was still a crowd gathered around Noâo near the lagoon. Instead, he led her to the ocean side of the island, away from prying eyes and big ears. Soon theyâd reached another favourite spot, with a wide unhindered view of the outer lagoon, the reef at its edge and the wide open sea beyond. They sat down with their backs against a log, looking out across Moana-roa. Haani could see there was a lot on his mind so told him to just begin where he wanted.
âIâm certain Arepuni and Ave are calling us to come. They found this land called Avaiki-tautau, exactly where Ave said they would, but itâs so incredible, itâs almost too good to be true. Iâve told you about the size of the island, the endless bush, the three huge mountains in a line in the middle, and another near the coast, but you should see the birds. They are huge and deafening. Lots of them donât even fly, they walk around. Some are as big as men, even bigger! The oceans are full of fish and whales. There are lakes and huge waterfalls, and enormous rivers full of fish and crayfish. There are bubbling pools of hot water, and fountains of water bursting from the earth.â
A smile spread across Haaniâs face as she tried to imagine mountains. She loved hearing the descriptions from people who had been to Aitutaki or Tumu-te-varovaro, but these were nothing compared to what she was now hearing. In reality, though, the geography didnât interest her at all.
âWhat about the crew?â
âThey are standing on the shore waving. There is a small child with them holding on to the legs of the woman. I think it is a girl, about five years old.â
âThere were twelve in their crew. In your dream?â
âJust nine. One is a woman, and one is a child. I canât see any faces.Theyâre blurry.â
âIs it possible theyâre still alive now? It was twenty years ago.â asked Haani.
âThey wouldâve returned. Even if the waka taurua was destroyed, they wouldâve rebuilt one by now. Surely?â
Taiki looked contemplatively at Haani, before looking out to sea. Sheâd known him long enough to hear the internal dialogue going on in his head. Intuitively she knew his intentions.
âI know,â she said.
âYou do?â
âYes!â she said. âOf course you must go. Our people have been calling you for twenty years. Itâs taken a long time for you to hear it, though.â
âBut I may not come back. What ifââ
Haani cut him off.
âHave no fear, Taiki. You were trained as a navigator, and it was the job you were destined to do before you became chief. Itâs your destiny. But there is another reason. I believe Avaiki-tautau is a new home for our people. She is calling us and we must go, sooner or later.â
Taiki knew she was right and felt it in his heart. âThen I have to begin preparing.â
âNot you. We!â
âWhat do you mean, we?â he asked.
âYou feel compelled to go because of your sense of duty to our people and because you held the truth from them. Well, Iâve known everything for as long as you have. I am also responsible. Iâm not letting you go without me. Tonight we will stand before our people together and ask for volunteers to come with us.â
âNo, Haani. We will be sailing far beyond Tumu-te-varovaro. We will be heading into the unknown. Iâve never sailed further. Itâs far too dangerous.â
Haani smiled gently and took his hand, clasping it between her own. Her mind was made up and any attempt to say no was pointless. They were connected, soul to soul. She knew he couldnât bear the thought of leaving her behind,
âLetâs go somewhere more private. It might take a while.â
Today Taiki didnât take Haani to their usual spot. There was still a crowd gathered around Noâo near the lagoon. Instead, he led her to the ocean side of the island, away from prying eyes and big ears. Soon theyâd reached another favourite spot, with a wide unhindered view of the outer lagoon, the reef at its edge and the wide open sea beyond. They sat down with their backs against a log, looking out across Moana-roa. Haani could see there was a lot on his mind so told him to just begin where he wanted.
âIâm certain Arepuni and Ave are calling us to come. They found this land called Avaiki-tautau, exactly where Ave said they would, but itâs so incredible, itâs almost too good to be true. Iâve told you about the size of the island, the endless bush, the three huge mountains in a line in the middle, and another near the coast, but you should see the birds. They are huge and deafening. Lots of them donât even fly, they walk around. Some are as big as men, even bigger! The oceans are full of fish and whales. There are lakes and huge waterfalls, and enormous rivers full of fish and crayfish. There are bubbling pools of hot water, and fountains of water bursting from the earth.â
A smile spread across Haaniâs face as she tried to imagine mountains. She loved hearing the descriptions from people who had been to Aitutaki or Tumu-te-varovaro, but these were nothing compared to what she was now hearing. In reality, though, the geography didnât interest her at all.
âWhat about the crew?â
âThey are standing on the shore waving. There is a small child with them holding on to the legs of the woman. I think it is a girl, about five years old.â
âThere were twelve in their crew. In your dream?â
âJust nine. One is a woman, and one is a child. I canât see any faces.Theyâre blurry.â
âIs it possible theyâre still alive now? It was twenty years ago.â asked Haani.
âThey wouldâve returned. Even if the waka taurua was destroyed, they wouldâve rebuilt one by now. Surely?â
Taiki looked contemplatively at Haani, before looking out to sea. Sheâd known him long enough to hear the internal dialogue going on in his head. Intuitively she knew his intentions.
âI know,â she said.
âYou do?â
âYes!â she said. âOf course you must go. Our people have been calling you for twenty years. Itâs taken a long time for you to hear it, though.â
âBut I may not come back. What ifââ
Haani cut him off.
âHave no fear, Taiki. You were trained as a navigator, and it was the job you were destined to do before you became chief. Itâs your destiny. But there is another reason. I believe Avaiki-tautau is a new home for our people. She is calling us and we must go, sooner or later.â
Taiki knew she was right and felt it in his heart. âThen I have to begin preparing.â
âNot you. We!â
âWhat do you mean, we?â he asked.
âYou feel compelled to go because of your sense of duty to our people and because you held the truth from them. Well, Iâve known everything for as long as you have. I am also responsible. Iâm not letting you go without me. Tonight we will stand before our people together and ask for volunteers to come with us.â
âNo, Haani. We will be sailing far beyond Tumu-te-varovaro. We will be heading into the unknown. Iâve never sailed further. Itâs far too dangerous.â
Haani smiled gently and took his hand, clasping it between her own. Her mind was made up and any attempt to say no was pointless. They were connected, soul to soul. She knew he couldnât bear the thought of leaving her behind,
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