A poetic meditaiton on the "fanua" by Faautu Talapusi

The following poetic reflection was written by Faautu Talapusi and offered as part of morning worship on 11 August 2008. The word "fanua" means placenta and also land in Samoan and in Maori as well. You can find the full order of worship which this meditation was part of here.

Instead of a reflection, I would like to share with you a poem entitled – I am the fanua. I hope it expresses my personal reflections and thoughts on today’s readings.

I am the fanua
The placenta buried in my ancestral land after childbirth
I am the pute
The umbilical cord buried and my link to my fanua

I am the fanua
The land which holds my history, my life, my death
I am the fanua
The land of my people, my ancestors, my descendents

I am the fanua
That which bonds me to the air, the earth, the sea
I am the fanua
That which binds me to the plants, the animals, the fish

I am the fanua
My mother's pain and joy in giving life
I am the fanua
Mother earth's pain and joy in giving life

I am the fanua
God's beautiful and unparalleled creation
I am the fanua
God's undying and steadfast love

I am the fanua
Wailing in despair at my self-destruction
I am the fanua
Dying of a slow suicide

I am the fanua
Expecting God's revelation
I am the fanua
Believing in God's promise

I am the fanua
You are the fanua
We are the fanua.

copyright (c) Faautu Talapusi/WCC