A Maori Legend in Africa

Henry was never a teacher, often spoke in schools, espousing the benefit of caring for the environment and planting trees. While trying to put across the same message to Tanzanian school kids, he also cajoled his local co-worker to practise techniques so the students didn’t go to sleep because some of the seminars took half a day.

It was tricky. Their target audience was the senior there classes: Std V, VI & VII but that never worked. The presence of an mzungu, white person, was a rarity in those rural schools, so was disruptive to the other classes. The head teachers allowed the whole school to participate – it was also an excuse for the teachers to sit back and listen too. The schools had four or more hundred kids!

In NZ, like many western cultures, we use the term 'mother nature', whereas in Tanzania, the term isn’t understood, but 'God' is widely accepted as the equivalent. Henry had made a flipchart, which their environmental seminars were based around and his co-worker delivered the lessons relating to it. For his part, Henry added in roleplays and stories at appropriate times to add some levity and to introduce a different style of learning for the students and for his co-worker. There is a Maori legend, verbally handed down through the generations, which is available in book form these days, but Henry recalled hearing it on the radio. It tied in well with what they were teaching, so he changed it around a little to suit the different age-groups and he delivered it in Swahili.

He would begin this segment with an explanation: The Kiwi is an indigenous bird of New Zealand. It has a very long beak and stubby, small wings so like the ostrich, it cannot fly. Instead it has strong legs so it can run fast. The Kiwi sleeps during the day and feeds during the night.

The kids had heard Henry use Swahili but they didn’t expect him to know the traditions, so when he whispered, ‘Hadithi, hadithi.’ Those who were near weren’t sure if they should respond in the traditional way. ‘Hadithi, hadithi’, is a traditional call to the story, ‘A story, a story!’ Similar to ‘Once upon a time.’ After allowing time for the confused mumbling to subside, he would call out loudly, 'Hadithi, Hadithi!'

They know how to respond! 'Hadithi, hadithi, hadithi njoo, uwongo njoo, utamu tulia!' ‘A story, a story, a story come! A lie (embellishment), come! It is sweet (a delight), sit and be quiet.’ Sometimes he would pretend he didn’t hear them so they would shout it out again from the top of their lungs! This helped them to wake from the lecture his co-worker had been delivering.

‘Everyone knows that God made Heaven and Earth, the sea, the land, the mountains, the lakes, the grassland and the forests. But not many people know that He made New Zealand last! He wanted New Zealand to be a very special country and unique. He did not make any mammals there, He just made beautiful birds like Tui, Korimako, Piwakawaka, Kaka, and Kokako. The birds lived in His forest and they all loved to fly among the treetops eating sweet fruits and drinking nectar from the flowers. They loved the warm sun and they loved to sing beautifully all day long.

God was happy with His work and often looked down at New Zealand with a contented smile. But one day he noticed that the forest was starting to die so He looked closer!

At this point Henry would talk in a whisper, so the kids had to listen more intently - the next word he shouted; an exclamation word, and he jumped in the air! The kids nearby also jumped in fright making the rest laugh. 

'Jamani! Insects and grubs are eating my forest and my trees are going to die!' God cried out.
He called a meeting with all the birds to discuss what could be done and He asked each bird, one by one if they would go down to the forest floor to eat the insects and save the forest. Each bird in turn refused with an excuse, 'I like to sing in the treetops all day long!' or 'I can only eat fruits and drink nectar!' ‘Yuk, eat insect and grubs?’ or 'I am afraid in the dark forest!'

Finally it was the turn of Kiwi to be asked: ‘Will you descent to the forest floor and eat the insects and grubs?’ ‘I will.’ Replied Kiwi, even though he was sad to be leaving the treetops, but he was prepared to do as God requested.

God did His shape-shifting magic to change Kiwi for his new role. He took away his wings, because there is no need to fly on the forest floor. Kiwi was given his short strong legs so he could run fast to catch the insects and grubs. He was given a lo-o-o-ng curved beak with nostrils at the tip so he could smell grubs beneath the soil. And he was given keen eyesight to see in the dark!

Kiwi worked diligently and when the forest’s health was restored, Kiwi called to God to ask if he could return to the tree tops but instead of answering God again called a meeting of the birds.
'Kiwi my good servant, you must remain on the forest floor to guard the forest, the insects and grubs will return. You other birds, Tui, Korimako, Piwakawaka, Kaka, Kokako; I must punish you because you were not prepared to help me. I will no longer provide fruit and nectar for the whole year long, there will be seasons when you too will have to feed on insects and grubs! You all like to sing throughout day, but from this day you will only sing your loudest at sunrise and at sunset! Kiwi, you have saved the forest and so you will be remembered for your faithfulness, remembered for ever!'

And this is why today there are seasons, why the birds sing their loudest only at dawn and again at sunset, no so much during the day. Even here in Tanzania! The New Zealand people are proud to be called 'Kiwi', and we are known throughout the word. Our famous sports teams are often referred to as 'Kiwi'! And yes, here in Tanzania, in your village, even very small children know Kiwi, because 'Kiwi' is the name of the shoe polish found in all your village shops!

So wanafunzi (students) why don't you become like Kiwi and protect your forests, plant and care for some trees?  Improve your environment! And now my story is finished.

As tradition dictates, Henry would say just the first syllable of 'finished' and the kids would complete the word to indicate that they were listening.

* In Recognition of Maori Language Week.