The story of how “Lucy” came about needs to be told. It is a story about “an idea that grew” and, as with many good things, there are many beginnings.
In May 2017, at the launch of “Jessica, the Seed Saver” (the previous book I had written) a friend said, “Now you must write a story about fresh water”.
So that was one beginning.
Another beginning was in March 2018 when I attended the book launch of “Treaty on the Ground” and heard the address by Margaret Kawharu (Ngati Whatua/Mahurehure), Senior Maori Advisor, Massey University. Margaret was one of the contributors to the book and her chapter was titled “Measuring Progress: Reflections on the Treaty on the Ground.” While acknowledging the progress made regarding te Tiriti in Aotearoa/N.Z Margaret pointed out that Pakeha values, outlook and worldview are still dominant and generally regarded as inherently superior to and more relevant than those of Maori. She urged us to to honour the Treaty of Waitangi by being committed to learning how to be EQUAL partners in the sense that all our systems reflect both Maori and Pakeha values and world views.
As I reflected on Margaret’s presentation it came to me that my next story would be written in both English and Maori - as a statement that both english and te reo are of equal status. And my hope was that the Maori text would be not just a translation of the English text but would add to and enhance the story. (More about that later)
Another beginning was my ongoing, deep concern about the state of Aotearoa'/N.Z.’s rivers and the pitifully inadequate standard of fresh-water health which had been proposed by the previous government. I read “New Zealand’s Rivers, an environmental history” by Catherine Knight (2016) and this added to my conviction that my next story would be about fresh water - rivers in particular.
And a further beginning was my own deep conviction and experience that we are inter-related and interdependent with all other living things. Losing that sense of connection with each other and all lifeforms is, I believe, why we are facing the critical challenges on the planet at this time. When we move from an attitude of trying to dominate and control the natural environment around us and move towards working with natural rhythms and laws, we make ourselves available to the myriad forms of truth and wisdom around us.
There have been many twists and turns, eddies and flows along the way. On a whim, in September 2018 I attended a local Creativity Workshop run by The Learning Connexion and it was there I heard about a TLC Scholarship . After applying, I was fortunate to be granted the Scholarship for the purpose of writing and illustrating a children’s story. I benefited tremendously from the year’s support and guidance provided by the TLC, in particular my mentor, Dennis Poole.
Another step came when, in February this year, I was seeking someone to provide the te reo version of the text. I remembered a casual conversation, some years before, with my daughter’s friend, Damian. “My wife, Ange, would love to help you if you ever need it”. I messaged Ange.
Ange/Anahera has provided a wonderful Maori text which truly reflects the English text and illustrations.
The time was coming to face the daunting prospect of approaching publishers! This felt like a mighty leap into a thoroughly unknown territory. I did my research online and inquired of other writers. Not many publishers were accepting work from new (unpublished) writers - and there promised to be months of waiting to hear from those who were viewing new work, before I heard whether or not I was successful. In July, I was attending a regular professional supervision session (for my counselling practice) and as I had planned to later meet a friend (who was also a writer) I had my ‘draft’ book with me, I asked Marcia if she would like to read it. She read it and then said, “You must speak to my friend Shirley at He Kupenga Hao i te Reo - here’s her phone number”.
I met with Shirley and Ian and they said they would be happy to be editors of the book. With their skills and experience as editors and their in-depth knowledge of te reo, and the talents of Rongoawhina, the graphic designer, they attended to the tikanga of the story and guided me through the process of self-publishing. This included the need to apply for funds from the Earle Creativity and Development Trust Grant.
To my delight my application was successful! Receiving the Grant has enabled the story of “Lucy” to be edited, designed and printed by a high quality, local production team.
And so “ Lucy, the Girl who Listens” has continued her journey to where we are today. All along the way there has been the support, encouragement and cheering-on from the side-lines of family members and friends. So many beginnings and so many steps into the unknown.
The story of producing “Lucy” - the whole process from conception to where we are today - has been very like the river’s story: beginning as a tiny spring high in the mountains and flowing down, joining other streams, each from their own spring. Each stream bringing its own nature, its own story as it becomes a small river flowing into the new body of water. So the idea of a story about water began and was joined by other ideas and other people’s knowledge, feedback, skill and enthusiasm so the story has become much more than it was at its beginning.
I mentioned earlier that I’d hoped the Maori text would inform the story, and not be just a translation of the english text. At one of our meetings in October Ian suggested we have different Maori words/phrases on the sign-post beside the river in some of the illustrations. When he explained the meaning of each different phrase I realised how, as I had hoped, in its unique way te reo truly adds another depth of meaning and further enhances the essence of the story.
“THE TREATY ON THE GROUND Where we are headed, and why it matters” Edited by Rachael Bell, Margaret Kawharu, Kerry Taylor, Michael Belgrave & Peter Meihana, 2017, Massey University Press. “New Zealand’s Rivers, an environmental history”, Catherine Knight, Canterbury University Press, 2016.
