The Pacific people are the sons and daughters of the wind

Tane listened with attention, a feature of adoration for the mother. I knew I needed to go on.

‘Soviet is Capricorn, so the Tropic of Cancer is near him. New Zealand should be Cancer, so the Tropic of Capricorn is here. There’s more. The Pacific people are probably the sons and daughters of the wind. They drift from islands to islands, never touching a continent. They don’t need to. They settle in the Pacific Ocean. Born wanderers. But that doesn’t mean they don’t value tradition and family. When they settle down, they have rigid customs and rites. Ambivalence.’

Tane was like a kid hearing bed time stories.

‘Cancer belongs to the wind. Well, some says water. I don’t think the water metaphor is neat. I’ll say it’s the wind.’

‘Yeah.’ Tane nodded, smiling.

‘And modern New Zealand was discovered by the English people. Britain is Taurus.’

‘They are?’

‘You know what nature does Britain belong to ?’

‘What is it?’

‘Earth. The concrete earth. They have long and rigid traditions.’

‘I see.’ Tane nodded, ‘they are.’