KITRINA AUBREY

Kiaora, I’m 40yrs old, born in the Bay of Islands/Northland Ngapuhi Iwi, Te Kapotai toku hapu and have been residing in Wellington for the past year to pursue my spiritual path and writing. I have one beautiful son who’s just turned 22yrs and I am so proud of him. 

Be proud of who you are whanau and where you come from. You inherit in your spirit the wairua of your beautiful ancestors. Some may not of been great high chiefs or multi millionaires but they fought extremely hard for your birth and creation and your right to be here today. They put things in place for the sake of whakapapa and for the future generations. Our Tupuna all have something In common you know, as I do with each and every one of you here. The commonality is that "We are all Indigenous people" "Native to Aotearoa, Native to the Land". When I walk onto the whenua or bathe within Tangaroa I instantly become ONE with it and it becomes significantly very tapu to me. I hear its every breathe and the roaring of the waves, I see the mist rising from the maungas and feel the mauri essence flowing within my wairua which grows stronger. This is my armour , my korowai and adornment. I wear and protect it like a shield and it protects and nourishes me in giving LIFE. Our culture has spent years of battling to keep our lands and fighting racism. But we have also spent years too fighting over stuff that does not necessarily belong to us or one person but the belongings and privilege of ALL. What I am ashamed of and makes me sick is all the greed and envy and bitterness that goes on within our communities. Yes there is and has been a lot of giving but there has also been a lot of taking. I also dislike how people have been discouraged just because of their skin colour, race, lack of understanding or education and ranking that is so wrong! If you were born Maori you were considered to be of a lower class to some therefore treated like a taurekareka. Those days still lurk but I must admit for us Maori People it has eased off and we have gained alot of respect and aroha Worldwide for who we are and what we stand for. I acknowledge today who I am and I am not ashamed of it that is a New Zealand/Maori Pakeha/Maori with Welsh bloodline. The white man is my equal. I love Aotearoa and its people. The spiritual Divine ONENESS that I feel in connection to Aotearoa itself is just overwhelming and we are so blessed to be living in such a beautiful country and connected to everything and everyone within it. I spent years in silence of my own heart running away from my soul because I guess I wasn't ready to be the warrior I was born to be. These scars I bare are proof of all the battles I have overcome. My poetry represents freedom to express the words of my ancient soul. My language is healing. My voice is my strength and my glowing wairua my identity and these books OUR waka journey HOME "Ahakoa he iti he taonga. Although it is small, it is precious."

Ngamihi nui xox

Mauri Ora & Arohanui