"From Whom Do I come"?

The above question is part of a quote which I have recently inserted into my manuscript.

The author is Bidois, E. whose explanation of Whakapapa, 2006 on the 10th October captures my endeavours in researching and writing this book.  

What has emerged - seven months on with writing - is an emerging pattern. I have anchored five sections of my book - each with sub-headings. Section two (2) onwards is a known from, "Whom Do I come?" My mother's English maternal heritage was very influential during my formative years. I recall during my early adult years father saying, you were going to live in a white man's world daughter so to him it made sense that their influence was beneficial. 

On the other hand, Angela Wanhalla's book, ‘Matters of the Heart" provides a broader study of interracial marriages which I have found immensely beneficial and thought-provoking.

"By marrying a white man, a Maori woman was engaged in the project of assimilation..." and then goes on to reveal "...it had to involve a man of respectability who had the capacity to educate and 'civilise' his wife." 

However, "greatest public scrutiny was reserved for those Pakeha women who married across racial lines." Which were the experience of my parent's case and many others as I recall during the 1940's and beyond? 

What has become evident in my research is the stark contrast of women's longevity in cross-cultural families. My research to date shows that father's maternal Tupuna's and sisters - all bar one - did not have the longevity of life like my mother's side. That, of course, is another story!

Sourced on 31 July 2019 from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hokianga and
map generated by NASA's World Wind program

The above Hokianga harbour and its estuaries generated by NASA provides an overview of some of the communities and towns that my manuscript is interwoven. Whirinaki and Pakanae located on the right-hand side of the harbour entrance and opposite the sand hills (on the left) and further North are the communities which my Tupuna are associated with.

The intent is to return to posting more regularly as I move towards the completion of my manuscript. 

In the interim take care.

Best wishes

Viti

Maternal lineage continued...

In my last post, I spoke about the maternal generation of women in Sri Lanka that we had the pleasure of meeting. Since that posting, I have received Nicla on the left Great Grandmother passed away in late 2017. I recently received this photo below which includes Rocelin (2nd from the right) who passed away in 2017. She was the eldest member of these descendants.

Nicla, Dishna, Rocelin and Mercy.

Now back working on my manuscript the above photo brings to mind that I am unable to insert similar or images of my Maori maternal ascendants. Over time I have only seen one of father's mother, Keita and Koro Tere.  The whereabouts of this photo remain unknown. Therefore, I will need to be creative and sensitive to this while working with the material gathered.  

After our visit to Oscar and Dishna’s they transported us to a small garment manufacturer in the same village.  What an opportunity to see first-hand how this business ran its operations which employs local women and men.

Viti meeting employees 

Sureka, the supervisor of this workforce was generous with her information and informed that their products are distributed to local and export markets. Their workforce consists of 20-23 employees which include trainees. Sureka has been with the company for 16 years. The opportunity did arise to speak first-hand with the companies Manager/Owner. 

Sureka, Dishna and Viti

I look forward to sharing updates as I progress through my manuscript in the coming weeks and months ahead.

Take care in the interim.

Viti

Sri Lankan Maternal Lineage

Our most wonderful visit to Sri Lanka has come to an end.  So many experiences and memories remain. I was blown away the attention to detail in the tourism and hospitality industries. Street food was a whole another experience for someone like me, who does not eat curries or spiced food.  Once again, I tried but did not prevail.

The last week in Sri Lanka provided an unexpected set of circumstances. Firstly, while speaking with our tour guide Oscar Perera a National Tourist Guide Lecturer. I asked him if his wife worked?  After further discussion and my sharing with him the work that I have been involved with in Nepal we arranged to meet his wife Dishna who had established a small business called, Green Grass Garden at their home in Negombo, Sri Lanka. 

 If you travel to Sri Lanka you just may wish to experience this opportunity.

Contact details: Dishna Perera: 031-2225966 / 076-7170672 / 077-5483866

No: 119/C1, Nugawela Road, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka

Email: Oscarperera@me.com

On arrival it was a delight to meet Dishna and Oscar’s extended family, who assist with the cooking classes on making traditional Sri Lankan meals. The area that this takes place is the front building which was previously Dishna's mother's home. Oscar and Dishna have retained the foundations of the original home which now hosts their guests and cooking classes. In Sri Lankan tradition the mother’s house is known as the Grand House and very symbolic.

I could not help but reflect on the stark contrast to the maternal side of my father’s ascendants. Here I was enjoying the company of this maternal lineage of women whose motivation is to contribute to their new home currently being built behind their enterprise. 

On the other hand, if I was to include in this instance my mother’s English maternal lineage I had experienced similar when my parents bought the seven-day a week corner store in Taumarunui. Mother and Gran ran the shop 6 days a week and I ran it on a Sunday while at High School so they could have a day off. 

Nicla (Dishna's daughter) Mercy Dishna's Mother, Dishna and I.

What a pleasure to meet Oscar's family whose daughter Nicla is undertaking Economic Studies at university. Nicla added that she was particularly interested in the business side of her course. The fourth and previously eldest member of this maternal lineage of Sri Lankan women, Rosaline, passed away in late 2017, not that long ago. 

How poignant to hear how these four women had spent so much time together over four (4) generations. This is in such contrast with the manuscript I am currently working with my father’s maternal lineage of Maori Tupuna Wahines. While sitting amongst this lineage of women it was evident the respect they have for one another.  Communication was undertaken through translation and English and I was left with a sense, that everyone contributions, formed  parts of the whole.  

Dishna’s 2^nd business venture, along with four (4) other women, who are members of a Corporation (30 members) provides a platform to understand the ‘needs’ of its membership. One recent example was a proposal put forward by their Office Bearers, on their behalf, to approach the relevant Political Minister for roadside huts (pop ups) next to one another - for five (5) consecutive days a month. Previously they had been selling in a temporary building. These entrepreneurial women were informed the day before we met, that they had been successful. What a special note to end this post on.

 I have one more connection to Sri Lanka that I will share in my next post. In the mean time it is back to my manuscript. Not as easy as I had anticipated after 6 weeks of being disconnected.  It has taken me a few hours to gather what were my rhythms before I went away.

Winter is upon us.

Take care

Viti