Looking thru Those Eyeholes 

This poem by Russell Soaba was interesting to me as it made me think about my Grandmother, who was born in England and came to New Zealand, which became home.

I think that Looking thru Those Eyeholes is similar, as my Grandmother had to leave family and friends behind whom passed away in her absence. But I am sure they would have loved to 'look through those eyeholes' and experience what my Grandmother did when migrating to New Zealand and starting a new life. I wrote a short poem in response to this. 

Home Is Where The Heart Is 

Oh! how I miss the pastures

So green and so divine 

Not unlike the pastures here

That I have come to accept as mine

My family have settled 

And so have I

But I will not forget my sacred land

A Grandsons hand I hold

For New Zealand to now shape and mold

I shall not return 

But will I be blue?

For England is home 

But can it be true?

Home is where the heart is, 

 So, New Zealand that is you

Jordan Flyger

The Unfinished Fence 

The Unfinished Fence by Vilsoni Hereniko is about a Fijian man named Jimi who migrates from Fiji to New Zealand for work.

Jimi has to deal with migration issues such as feeling like he does not belong, "crowded bus among strange and indifferent people" 
Avoiding the police and being so far away from his family, "Occasionally, Jimi's thoughts wandered back to Fiji, to his wife and his two children. Did they miss him as much as he missed them? There were so many people yet he felt so lonely." 

When I read this story, I thought about how hard it must be for pacific people to migrate to a different country. This is because the culture and general lifestyles are so different compared to the western world. I found that the story gave me insight into the perspective of Jimi and his struggles of fitting in and feeling at home within a different country. Immediately in the story we see the difference in lifestyle between Mrs Davidson and Jimi, with such contrast between the two characters. However, with the mutual understanding of the feeling of loneliness they get along. 

Creative Response-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JYUgnwL3Pc

This video of Fijian people welcoming foreigners into their country reflects the nature of Fijian people, and shows how hard it would be for a Fijian person, like Jimi, to migrate to a completely different country and experience the culture shock, to support his family back home. 

'You' Analysis + Response

You
are the sons
and daughters
of Polynesia.

Belonging
to families
rich with history
and culture.

From
the far distant memories
of those humble
villages.

Where
our islands
continue to contribute
to our shared futures.

When I read this poem, the themes of history, culture and family speak to me. The idea of belonging and being the children of Polynesia gives off a sense and re-emphasizes the idea of family. The opening line "You" uses the pronoun "you" to reel the reader in. Immediately we are drawn into what the story could be about and how the author is integrating the reader into the text.  The last stanza tells of islands keeping the futures of the young alive and being a large contribution to this.  "Rich with history" in the second stanza makes me think of a proud, happy culture, that recognises the power of strong bonds and how that can affect a certain grouping of people. In response to this poem, I have written another poem of similar format that details what it is like to be Polynesia. This poem is called "I" in reference to "You."

I
as the colour
of the bright
and beautiful islands.

I
as the sun
descending
behind mountains.

I
as the water
blanketing
the sand.

We
as a whole
a family of
Polynesia.

WILD DOGS UNDER MY SKIRT (TUSIATA AVIA VUP, 2004)

Wild dogs under my skirt was an interesting poem to read and review.

I found the first stanza capturing "I want to tattoo my legs. Not blue or green but black.
Straight away I got a clear imagery of where the poem was heading. As far as identity, Tusiata, born to a Samoan father and New Zealand European mother has a divide in culture, tradition, identity.

The poem 'Wild dogs under my skirt' I felt, was about Tusiata identifying herself as a Samoan and Kiwi living in New Zealand. What gave me this impression was, in the second stanza "I want to sit opposite the tufuga and know he means me pain" I believe Tusiata, who lives in New Zealand is perhaps longing for more of a part in her Samoan heritage and by talking about his highness Tufuga "striking her thighs" is her way of describing how feels she should be punished for not embracing her Samoan side.

The constant receptiveness of the word 'black' "black octopus" "the black ones" confirmed this idea for me that Tusiata does/ wants to identify herself as Samoan, and is proud of her culture. She 'wants' to tattoo her legs, black.

This poem for me is about Tusiata identifying herself as a Samoan. Although her mother is of New Zealand European decent, what I took from this poem is that she does identify herself as more Samoan than Kiwi.

Respsone to Vaine Rasmussen's Poem

Upon reading A book and a Pen by Vaine Rasmussen I was prompted to write a simialr poem, but with my own issues within it. By issues I mean in Rasmussen's poem she is talking about loss of culture and identity. I do not have a problem with cultural identity but I do sometimes struggle a little with self identity and how I fit into the world so I wrote this poem I titled When I was Younger. This poem is also about loss of innocence and how what people tell or teach you when you are younger can stay with you your whole life and create problems. Also if you do not know what Pointe shoes are they are hard ballet slippers.

When I was Younger

When I was four years old

I played with coloured pencils and

Dolls with long hair. I was taught to

Lie in fields of grass and let my imagination

Leap and dance across the meadow.

When I was ten years old

I played with vibrant pieces of 
Lego with sharp edges. I was taught to

Read more and

Fill my head with other people’s words.

When I was fourteen years old

I played with baby pink Pointe slippers and

Chiffon ballet Skirts.

I was taught to suck my stomach

In and fake perfection.

Now at nineteen years old and I wonder
Why I still suck my stomach in and yet

I have no clue where my brightly coloured toys

Have gone to.