old wooden table, and babble away in their native tongue. They enjoy themselves while I'm crouched under my stuffy bed. Oh, I could nearly cry with humiliation. Then, my aunt does a most terrible thing to me. Knowing that I love home-made bread and jam she pulls out a lovely brown loaf from her flax kit and shouts, ‘Raymond, baby! Haeremai te paraoa!’ Too hungry to resist the temptation I shamefully crawl from under my bed and walk shyly into the smoke-filled kitchen, covering the holes in the seat of my pants with my hands. My auntie places a thick piece of bread covered with a thick layer of jam into my eager hands. She then sits me on her big, stumpy thighs and holds me against her hunge bosoms and whispers in my ear, ‘You like my bread, Raymond, my baby?’ … Oh, how I hate visitors. Raymond Murray, Whangaruru. Pupils of Ratana Maori School have also sent in their first contributions.

Hangi Dirt flies everywhere We strike the sacks We pull them off The smell of the hangi shoots up our noses— A beautiful aroma. Jimmy Berry, 10

The Sea When the sea is calm it is still, But when the wind blows it is still no more. When the sea is rough you can hear it crashing against the rocks. And then the sea is silent again, It is calm and still. Sandra Tamou, 10

The Tangi Someone is dead, and it is someone very important. People here, people there, crying their eyes out for this person. He was so kind and gentle, he was famous until his death. Everybody has to die some day. Monday the third of June was his day to die. The band is playing for him, he was a member of the band. We played for this wonderful person. Lisa Tamati, 10

Approaching Storm It is quiet, Birds do not chirp, Animals are still, Clouds gather, Big black huge ones, Suddenly the lightning crackles, The thunder roars, A storm is born. Jimmy Berry, 10

The Tangi Murmuring cries of the Kuias swaying back and forth. The minister is delivering his oration, a great man has died. His grandma brought him up with her love and comfort. A calm old lady. Her cries can be heard as she sways to and fro. The school children are quiet and tired, not a sound is to be heard from them. Men and women from the Education Board have come to this sad event. They have lost a friend. People say he was a man with a wide friendly grin and a welcoming handshake. His grandma will miss him and so will many others. Kathleen Luke, 12

Looking Back I remember when I was a little boy aged six. My friend Simon and I had lots of fun. He had a truck and so did I. At times we