To Be or Not To Be… Was that the question?

A couple of things you should know about me – I read – a lot. Not by simply ‘google it’ either – but those things made from paper that you hold in your hand… Books (sometimes digital too..). I also converse with human beings – yes, face to face even. Imagine!

While I can see by reading between not too well hidden lines – there are many people with opinions who blog or facebook post or tweet or even construct news stories on mainstream television for the nation to watch, hear or read them. I have to wonder if the ideal of objectivity enters the mind of many who care enough to share their opinions? Let alone those who are paid by state funded organisations to reflect its’ society to society as a PBS.

To me, and this is my opinion… the answer is no.

We have enough people in the world moaning about this and that – and you should label your posts etc as just that – moaning, and mindless at that.

But please do not by any means believe that your stereotypically under researched opinion for actual facts on the topic you are moaning about is even close to reality. Alternatively, perhaps these opinions could construct a new genre of information sharing called, verbatim schītte. Now that is a constructive solution, with objectivity! Don’t believe everything you see in media… Be present.

Music makes me Happy

Week Six. Almost finished setting up our home.  Third meal cooked in our new house was Camembert, Chicken and Cranberry Pizza tonight while listening, singing and dancing to my favourite Chaka Khan album What Cha Gonna do for Me. An album my late Step-Dad introduced to me before the popular (for my generation) ‘I feel for you‘ single was released.

Our first home cooked meal after five weeks of take-out was Bacon and Egg Pie… even though Pak n Save generally offers cheaper groceries than other supermarkets DO NOT BUY the Budget Bacon as it is a version of bacon that isn’t actually bacon, hence the word budget in front of bacon.  And as I my 10 year old explained ‘you should have just put ham in it…’

Home cooked meal number two consisted of our first kona’i (large lunch in Samoan Traditional Practice) in our new home.  Which would have been perfect if our 19 year old had turned up at 1pm-ish as opposed to 2pm-ish… however, lunch (a little overcooked) was enjoyed by all nevertheless.  I also baked Banana Loaf for dessert.  Something I haven’t been able to do in six years since the oven in the last place we rented killed all hope of baking in our oven except for cookies, brownies and cakes baked in roasting trays (so they don’t have to rise as much if they were cooked in cake tins and needed to rise above two centimetres).

Having many ‘tings’ to be grateful, in my life.  I have my late Step-Dad who was born in Hitchins, England and as white as the brothers from Average White Band (apart from the drummer who was black) to thank for my musical tastes.  He introduced me to The Heptones, UB40, Frank Zappa, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin and many more artists thanks to his Boys Home upbringing and a ‘walkabout’ in Australia in his late teens.

I often wonder how it is that I changed my destiny.  Why I am different from my siblings and more importantly how it is that I am alive when the statistics were stacked against me living as long as I have.  Maybe its because I am stubborn and don’t like doing what people tell me to do when it is a test of strength for strength. Or maybe it is as I have said in many interviews… Music Saved my Life.

New Home New Beginnings

After moving home for just over 28 days, non-stop and working my full time job as Mother of Four, Television Producer and Wife – we have finally finished! Now we just have to set up our new house into a home.  We lived in a 15 room home for six years and have now moved into a seven room home.  Still running the same ie. screen-printing for our online store, making music and sending rappers around the world.

I woke up this morning with enough time to appreciate where we are now based.  Listening to the sound of tui singing as opposed to the distress call of them looking for each other at our old house.  We seem for the moment ‘kehua’ (ghost) free, which the old house we lived in had a few.  The house was over 100 years old and one of the oldest farm houses in the area.  The ahua (shape) of the new home has our entire family feeling happier.  And that is all we want for our family.

Here is to new beginnings and slowly moving through the boxes to our new home.

Winter Goodness – Lentil and Kumara Coconut Curry with Brown Rice

 

This recipe was the end result of my first attempt at making dhal which was nasty tasting… add coconut cream is my kitchen motto.

For portions size  – please note, my family consists of five males, that is, my husband and our four boys aged 10, 14, 16 and 18 (all six foot or taller except the 10 year old) who are all meat eaters. Our household however usually has 10 -11 people at the dinner table (I usually double the tortillas which tops the total cost to around $25 to feed 11 people).

Initial ingredients are under $20, and each subsequent version of this meal is around $12-14. If your family eat normal portions of food, you can do this for around $10 -12.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 x Canned Lentils ($1.65 each), Homebrand Eggs 12’s ($3.06), Curry Powder ($2.24), 2 x Coconut Cream ($1.39 each), 500g Brown Rice ($1.59), 500ml Soya Oil ($2.40), Tortillas ($4.00 for 15), 250g Kumara ($2.60) Optional – Coriander, Tomatoes, Carrots ($1.60).

Put the rice on – usually takes around 45 mins.  Drain the can of Lentils and wash through with water – set aside. Chop a medium onion and a couple of garlic cloves, roughly. Heat up a pan with a thin layer of soya oil start frying the garlic and onion, then add a couple of tablespoons of curry, more or less depending on your tastes. Fry lightly until the curry opens up. Add the kumara (chopped into bite size pieces) and fry until covered with the spices. Add a 1/4C water, cover with a lid and simmer until softened.  Add lentils,  mix gently and simmer for a couple of minutes until heated through, set to low.  Put the dozen eggs into a pot of water and boil for 5-7 minutes.  When rice is close to being cooked, add the coconut cream to the lentils and kumara mixture and stir through until heated through, set low (make sure you do not curdle the cream).  Drain water from eggs and peel, set aside. Grab a frying pan, heat to medium. Place the tortilla’s in it one at a time until heated through (both sides) and slightly browned ( a little bit of butter or oil is optional – I don’t use either). Slice into quarters. Set aside.

To plate –  garnish the curry with chopped coriander and place the tomatoes (cut into sixths) next to the egg/s, place the warmed tortillas (two each cut into quarters) and voila – Lentil and Kumara Coconut Curry with Brown Rice. Num num num…

Track – Te Ahi Kaa

Remember when we were all ‘conscious’ for a minute in between the 90’s and the turn of the century?  This track was created around that time.

Made in our lounge/home studio, this track was a collaboration with DLT, Hypa, H One, B Ware and Micheal Franti.  I engineered and sequenced the track – such a mission back then on wharfdale speakers, nuff said!

This track was never released – just to my children really as we were still mastering to DAT then to cassette tape to listen to in the car… CD burners were expensive then.  The following is my verse and the ending sign off to close the song.

I’m standing tall, its my call, shaking that booty doing what you wanna do ya’ll, side stepping from the right to left, left to right, emerging from the darkest shadows into the light, come walk with me, I’ll awaken you Jet Li, the sweetest sounds you ever heard is the word righteousness, sending you subliminal consciousness, with more golden syrup for your paraoa so you can get with this, reminiscent of the days when I was growing up, direct hits to the dome from my mums arm of tough love, ain’t nobody who can live my life but me, and all I needed is a mind that is free, three points of astral travelling, Te Moana Nui aa Kiva, Magnum PI, petroglyphs on a Moa’i, to the Polynesian capital of the World, the Triangle is where the truth will rear its head, And on that note, 16 bars later, enough’s been said…

Ka whawhai tonu matou / Tino Rangatiratanga / mo ake tonu ake / whano whano haramai te toki / (TINA!) / Haumī e!  / Hui e!  / TĀIKI E!

Track – Old School

Holding my eldest child while performing in Aotea Square, Auckland, NZ around 1994. Old School was released on his 18th birthday in 2011. Photo: Chris Traill.

This track came about in a funny way.  Bill and Elia were remaking one of my jungle tracks (yes Jungle, because the track is from the early 90’s!).  They came up with this version which sounds nothing like the original, so I wrote a new song to the music which was Old School.

OVERVIEW Our world is evolving at an astronomical pace, primarily each new generation.  It would appear that because there is easier access to a wider range of information, younger generations believe that what they learn regardless of environmental surroundings and circumstances, this information empowers them to make decisions that they really have little understanding of the repercussions of their actions.  I believe it needs to be noted in every human beings mind –  technology on this planet evolves not because of necessity but because of greed and power.  Why are there people on earth ‘living’ in poverty while we send people into space?  We are in a Matrix and unlike the humans in that movie, this Matrix is visible to the eye, you just need to open your mind.

ADDICTION Our learning never ends.  Just because someone has been on this planet longer than you, this does not mean that person is infallible either.  When P (crack, meth etc) hit our country, I saw good people fall.  People I never thought would become so weak to something we use to watch on a Public Enemy Music Video and scoff at – Night of the Living Baseheads.  We are all responsible – and the sooner we all figure that out, the sooner we can start moving forward, together.  Lets start with our families.

FAMILY Like an Aunt/Mother/Sister/Friend telling someone close to them who is hurting ‘to get their unhappy selves together’ – I state that point with an agenda of Healing and Love because Healing our People was the intention of the song.

FOOTWEAR I also speak of using a jandal  – or flip flops.  This was a normal tool in my upbringing (and many families from the South Pacific) utilised for slapping someone into submission or punishment – for real.  I use this line to show my frustration towards watching people make the same mistakes over and over again – and as a metaphorical scolding.

OLD SCHOOL

written by t.rapley I vocals by t.rapley I music by b.urale I keys e. gaitau

chorus
I guess I’m just [Old school, old school]
Cos’ that’s where I’m from [Old school, old school]
Just give me some, yeah [Old school, old school]
No need to fuss/front [Old school, old school]

Mass communicating
Counting hits online
Virtual reality
got peeps asleep
stopping minds getting deep
dropping freedom speak
Complacency attacking those that are weak
Spirits die on that downward high
Everybody needs to sleep
Everybody needs to dream

[With Old school come old school rules]
I’m too old for new school fools
[With Old school come old school rules]
Just waiting on my babies to take you back to school

Repeat chorus

I know I gotta get to know me
So I can fly without the strings
Astral travelling through galaxies
Accepting that I am unique (the one)

Repeat chorus

[If you knew yourself]
What they say doesn’t matter
[Respect yourself]
You will to keep it together
[And love yourself]
Aunt won’t have to pull out the jandal and shout
You can do better

All you need [Love]
More precious then diamonds and pearls [Love]
Or to own all the riches of the world [Love]
L.O.V.E love
Sing with me, You can do better
All we need…. love.

Unplugged – Be Just Fine

This clip was shot for New Zealand television show Fresh.  The series celebrates the outstanding achievements of our South Pacific people in all areas of the arts, sport and business.  King Kapisi and I co-presented the episode which was shot in one of my home country’s, the Cook Islands.  My Maori ancestral lines are from Mangaia, Aitutaki and Rarotonga.  Benioni Tama Parei Joseph is my grandfather.

BE JUST FINE 

written by t.rapley I music by b.urale I vocals t.rapley

VERSE I

Ish ain’t always turn out the way you want

Some people straight out lie and some swear they don’t

Is altruism an achievable goal?

In exchange for the key to your soul

Living righteously

[To give a lot or give a little]

Making history

[Ain’t so bad in the middle]

CHORUS

Keep your head up to the sky

Left foot followed by the right

After darkness must come light

Remind yourself the world is mine

Yours and mine

Rain or shine [yeah yeah yeah]

Yours and mine

Be just fine

The world is…

And we’ll be just fine

VERSE II

Yes – I’m contemplating about my life thus far

Yes – The up and the downs managed by my wary heart

Raise your hand if you over-standing me

Cos not all choices we make make them right

I’ve no use for wishing on a super nova at night

I make ish happen are you over-standing me?

CHORUS

Keep your head up to the sky

Left foot followed by the right

After darkness must come light

Remind yourself the world is mine

Yours and mine

Rain or shine [yeah yeah yeah]

Yours and mine

Be just fine

The world is…

And we’ll be just fine