Monday, December 13, 2010

Ain't None Left



I'm home from new zealand.
I have soooo much to post on and I can't even begin to think where to begin.
Either way, this song carries a great memory for me in Northland.
The first time I heard this song was in the movie Boy, which already means something to me. But when I heard it again..

I stayed at my friend Toia's place in Whangarei, which is an unbelievably beautiful area on the east coast, where it was humid and warm. That night, I lay in the bed she let me stay in feeling the breeze blow in from the doorway that had only a cloth hanging over it instead of a door. It was dark, but Toia's brother was playing music on the speakers that dominated the living room, neighbored by guitars, drums, and bass guitars. It was Toia's uncle's place, actually, and he was quite the musician.

I lay there thinking there was nowhere more perfect than this. The house was located on top of a steep hill overlooking the bay, with about 5 neighbors in the whole area, most of whom were family members. It was the perfect night-time temperature to feel completely and utterly comfortable. I looked at my boyfriend sleeping next to me and smiled. What else could I need but the beauty of Aotearoa, compassion of strangers, and love from my partner?

Life in Aotearoa is difficult to explain, but this night I spent at Toia's could easily demonstrate the laid back, beautiful nature of Māoris. I had just met her family that day and they offered us a bed to sleep in.
We sat on her back porch listening to music, drinking tea, and just talking about anything and everything. The grass was still wet from the rain that had passed on earlier that evening, but it was still muggy. They cooked boil-up for dinner, which is a sort of dish where greens and pork back bones are cooked in a broth. Delicious. To think that a family I just met could offer me dinner and a place to stay was more than I could have ever expected. To them, it seemed like nothing at all. I am still extremely grateful to Toia and her whānau for this.

I thought about all this as Toia's brother played music in the other room. Suddenly, this song started playing. I felt like I was going to explode from an overwhelming sensation of euphoria. The music, the temperature, the breeze, the company, the kindness, the beauty, everything. Everything was wonderful and I truly fell in love with Aotearoa. There really is nothing more I could need outside of that amazing country.