Poutini and Waitaiki

This week in Maori we began learning more about Maori legends. Specifically the story of Poutini and Waitaiki. After being read by the story, thereafter we had to summarise what we had listened to. It outlines and explains pounamu; a type of jade-greenstone.  In our summary per se, we had to write as if we were one of the characters in the story. I had picked to write as Poutini as I already had a thought of how I would write such as that, and so I did.

Here is the "story" that I wrote:

“Waitaiki, Waitaiki, Wataiki… With skin as soft as feathers; as smooth as the smoothest of stones, hair like that of silk, her lips of that of blood, Waitaiki, Waitaiki, Waitaiki....
The sea flows against my body, slithering to the rivers and through the waters, I Poutini the guardian,  was of great lust for a woman, Waitaiki.
I fled across the water and within I found her, the woman epitome of beauty.  She stood there, skin exposed, she bathes; I, who lusted took what I lusted for, carrying her through rivers, passing water and the cold, gelid airs and winds. Shivering she began to, I felt her body shake to the breeze, I’d stepped onto the beach and lit a tranquil like warmth, fire. There I had warmed Waitaiki, again we went rushing to waters, where I had stopped again to give warmth. Off we went once more, fleeting, stuck on an end. Not a chance of escaping with my Waitaiki; on the stream there it happened. Turned into my essence, a pounamu, a woman-stone, Waitaiki, Waitaiki, Waitaiki…”

I enjoyed writing this short "verse", it was quite amusing when I started to think about being that character and how it would be set up. Not only that I enjoyed writing, but as well as being able to listen to this incredible legend.