It has been years of fear and terror
The Britsh have captured half of our population
I saw men, women, and children put in chains
Lined up towards the white castle
Against their will
And transported away later in their huge British ships

I was only 17 years old
The youngest among my 6 siblings
Who lived in a wooding house
The only house that was not built from red mud
My house had a room with a golden chair
A decorative pots, a stool, a staffed lion’s skin
Palm wine in bottle stored
Palm tress netted flat stacked as beds
A room where my three sisters shared
And a room where my two brothers and I shared
Outside stood four guards with spears and swords
They were always on high alert
My house was in the heart of not one but three villages

I was the son of a chief
My father a kind married to three wives
Each wife born in one of the three villages he ruled
My mother came from the Kuakuoa village
  A village known for its strength to fight
I was born a warrior
I have the blood of a fighter
A protector

Ever since the white men found our shore
They have bribed us
Stripped as of our humanity
Caused conflict and chaos
Corrupted my peoples mind
Thought them how to steal and lie

No more
Not ever again

My father’s fight is my fight
Together we are stronger
Together we can drive the white men away.
In1956, half of our people were already taken away
The other half hid in fear as if they were without a leader
My father gave Kuakuoa to me to lead

I put on the mark of my village myself
And held my spear high 
I stood in front of the whole town
And told a story of our ancestors
A story that would be passed down from my generation unto the next

My people rose up
Shouting and swinging
Singing and drumming
Running and jumping
Rolling and throwing
Diving and dancing
This was our ways
The way leading to war