WHO AM I?

Tu Tangata, Issue 28, 1 February 1986, Page 45

WHO AM I?

Dedicated To All Our Children

The silence was shattered by the slamming of the front door and a heart-wrenching cry. ‘Mummy, Mummy!' The trembling little bundle threw itself into my arms as if seeking sanctuary from a storm. Her long dark hair sprayed her tiny shoulders with speckles of raindrops. With tearstained cheeks she wound her arms around my neck and clung on tight. The sobs wracked her little body that did not seem strong enough to withstand such torment. ‘What is it sweetheart' I asked, shocked by her torment, my heart throbbing in my chest.

Her sobs were so strong she could not speak clearly. In convulsive jerks she finally managed a very weak. ‘Wh... Wh... Wh... Why... uh... am aa I different?' as a shuddering reply. In that moment the years of my childhood rolled out before my eyes painfully bringing back a memory of the past. I felt the same haunted emotions of yesterday so clear and stark in my

daughter's eyes. Holding her close to my breast I rocked gently to and fro, giving her time to calm down and myself time to think. With my chin resting gently on top of her head I softly spoke the very same words my mother said... that long, long ago. Little one... you are the future. The future of mummy, daddy, your brothers, grandma and grandpa and their mummies and daddies... all the way back. We call them our ancestors. Some were dark-skinned and some were light-skinned. Some were pretty and some not so pretty. But each and everyone of them was somebody's future. You are my hopes and dreams of everything beautiful. Just as I was for my mother and father. But there is one difference which makes you richer than I. You have ‘two’ ancestors more. Because you were made from Daddy and me, you are our ‘very own' special beginning. Daddy and I will never really die because we live in you. In years to come you will grow to understand what

I mean. Your ancestors were a brave, proud and strong race of people. You belong to a people who will never die and you can always be proud to hold your head up high with pride. You can walk tall amongst royalty and feel confident that you have that right. For your ancestors were also kings, queens, princes' and princesses amongst their people.

Fear not the words of others for they can never harm you. People are people all over the world, some are kind, some are cruel, some belong to people and some don't know who they belong to. But all people want someone to love them. When someone torments and teases you because of your colour, it is because they are hurting inside. If you run away from them and cry they will never stop hurting or if you fight them it still won’t stop hurting. So they will keep coming back. The next time someone says something mean to you I want you to turn around look them straight in the eye and give your most beautiful smile....