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just might possess attributes that can be very helpful to
those that will learn how to listen and receive them. All
is not as black and white as you might want to believe.”
With that she left and went to Nana Grace’s for her
lesson of the day. At this time, I had no clue about Nana
Grace but I would soon be meeting her.

I thought I had seen her lurking in the bush a few
times. If it was her, she looked a little scary to me. She
didn’t seem to smile, had a rather stern-face and always
walked with a walking stick with ornate carvings on it. I
would later learn that this was referred to as a tokotoko.
It was not only used as a walking stick; it was also
used in Community meetings as a way of
acknowledging who had the right to speak.

It was handed from one to another and whoever
was given the tokotoko was given the right to
speak. Furthermore, the carved etchings held both a
story and a power that was unique to the stick and the
Kaitiaki or Guardian of these sacred taonga (items).
Like all else, it was sentient.

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