Island Spirit
They say no man’s an island
and I believe this to be true
For we are all connected
Land, sky, sea, me and you
Aotearoa lay shrouded
obscured by long white cloud
A silent untouched paradise
Until its shores were found.
A young but turbulent history
Torn apart from Gondwanaland
Sanctuary for native species
Until the coming of man.
First the legendary Morioris
placed their footprint on our shores
and then the Polynesian Maori
In our waters dipped their oars.
Seeking an island sanctuary
to transplant culture and their dreams
folk tales, myths and legends
wove tight the island’s seams
Then came sealers and whalers
to bludgeon, kill and maim
so much blood spilled on our shores
no innocence left to claim.
The missionaries preached religion
and tried to pave the way
for an English way of thinking
that Maori gods could not hold sway.
More bloodshed over land rights
a clash of cultures and beliefs
to protect them from each other
a Treaty signed by troubled Chiefs.
And so our island’s history
became a partnership of sorts
for people of all nations
a multicultural mix of thoughts
An island thrust into being
from earth’s inner core
tremendous force and fire
which even now we watch in awe
For Nature in an instant
can crumble our lives to dust
yet remind us we are connected
to a world that cares for Us.
No man is an island
No matter how we wish it so
for we are all connected
The only certainty we know.
British soldiers; land wars
native bush, slashed and burned
They say no man’s an island
and I believe this to be true
For we are all connected
Land, sky, sea, me and you
Aotearoa lay shrouded
obscured by long white cloud
A silent untouched paradise
Until its shores were found.
A young but turbulent history
Torn apart from Gondwanaland
Sanctuary for native species
Until the coming of man.
First the legendary Morioris
placed their footprint on our shores
and then the Polynesian Maori
In our waters dipped their oars.
Seeking an island sanctuary
to transplant culture and their dreams
folk tales, myths and legends
wove tight the island’s seams
Then came sealers and whalers
to bludgeon, kill and maim
so much blood spilled on our shores
no innocence left to claim.
The missionaries preached religion
and tried to pave the way
for an English way of thinking
that Maori gods could not hold sway.
More bloodshed over land rights
a clash of cultures and beliefs
to protect them from each other
a Treaty signed by troubled Chiefs.
And so our island’s history
became a partnership of sorts
for people of all nations
a multicultural mix of thoughts
An island thrust into being
from earth’s inner core
tremendous force and fire
which even now we watch in awe
For Nature in an instant
can crumble our lives to dust
yet remind us we are connected
to a world that cares for Us.
No man is an island
No matter how we wish it so
for we are all connected
The only certainty we know.
we are
Aotearoa
land of long white cloud
torn from Gondwanaland
born of pressure and fire
Aotearoa
land of long white cloud
torn from Gondwanaland
born of pressure and fire
Island Paradise
rugged mountain spine
connecting Earth and Sky
rugged mountain spine
connecting Earth and Sky
first the Moriori
stepped upon our shores
then Polynesian Maori
dipped their oars
stepped upon our shores
then Polynesian Maori
dipped their oars
sealers and whalers
bludgeoned, maimed and killed
sands awash with blood
all innocence destroyed.
bludgeoned, maimed and killed
sands awash with blood
all innocence destroyed.
missionaries preached
their ‘foreign’ God
no understanding
of the umbilical cord
connecting Maori
with the land
waves of settlers; farmers,
minerstheir ‘foreign’ God
no understanding
of the umbilical cord
connecting Maori
with the land
British soldiers; land wars
native bush, slashed and burned
a legacy of greed
perhaps it's not too late
to save what we have left
a conscious awakening
reconnects us with our roots
reconnects us with our roots
Oh Island Paradise!
let your rugged mountain spine
let your rugged mountain spine
help us reach the stars
yet keep our feet upon the ground.
Amanda Edwards (c) 2012
yet keep our feet upon the ground.
Amanda Edwards (c) 2012
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