Te Paatu

i have just learned that the area i come from is called Te Paatu, thanks to Janice Clarke, a memeber of a long time far north family. I think i am going to write a collection of poems about the valleys of Te Paatu; Honeymoon Valley, Fern Flat, Kaiaka, Oruru, Victoria. I dont want to fall into the trap of writing about maori things as if i myself am maori. but i do want to explore the history of where i come from and then write from that basis.

i feel i dont know enough about my own home, and how can i write about something i know nothing about? Id love, for example to find out why the valleys are named as they are and id like to learn the stories of the people who populated the area over the past 300 - 400 years. My primary school was established in 1873! well over 200 years old and i know that the school alone holds a lot of history, such as the banning of maori language. a project in the making. exciting.