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“Long ago before our island was divided by mountains, there was only tehiri. One heart, one home. When the ocean wasn’t afraid to touch both sides of the island.” Tutu’s words echoed throughout the village.
The children sat with excitement, slightly leaning forward waiting impatiently to hear the story.
“But there were two brothers and they shared one heart. One heart for the island…but one decided to break apart that heart…leaving to claim the shadows, while one stays in the light.”
The children gasp in unison. Millions of questions fill the remaining silence of the gazebo. “Where are they now?” A boy asked eagerly “Are they dead?” Another kid blurts out.
Hinatea snorts at the ridiculous questions. She has heard this story many times now, sometimes even telling it herself. But something always bothered her…tutu had always spoke the story with such feeling, like it was personal. Many believe it’s the grief of losing what was once your island.
She couldn’t understand how she had know her grandmother her whole life, yet knew so little about her.
Hinatea sighs and looks over her shoulder to see the gargantuan mountains. Her hair swayed in the wind as if it were a palm tree. She’s always wanted to know what it’s really like in whiro.
This isn’t the first time she’s expressed her curiosity for the other side, though.
“Papa!! Are you ever going to let me go to whiro!?” Hinatea asked impatiently. “Iti! No, no, no! Who taught you that?” Tamaroa exclaimed. “Tutu told me!” She replied back. “Iti. Listen to me carefully,” the cheif said while lifting her up, “Whiro is a dangerous place. There is nothing but darkness and danger over there.” He informed her.
As she stared longingly at the mountains, she couldn’t help but notice how dark the sky really had looked over there. She started to wonder if her father had been right from all of those years ago. What if it was actually dangerous there?
“If you stare too long at the shadows, child, they might stare back.” Tutu says, making hinatea flinch. “Uh-um tutu! What are you doing…here..?” She stammered awkwardly. Tutu rolls her eyes, “you know, your father doesn’t want you to look at them.” She reminded. Hinatea stands there in confusion “look at…what exactly?”. Tutu chuckles, “you know what I’m talking about.” She says while wandering off the oceanfront.