Today I spent the morning sharing images from my travels with my soon to be 90 year old grandfather. It was quite an amazing experience sharing this moment with him. It made me think about how lucky we are to have exposure to what is now a global village. Travelling is a luxury that many of us take for granted.
A couple of years ago my grandfather shared his stories of World War II with me. We worked over several months to put all these memories together into a book. With no hesitation he shared stories that i was incredibly privileged to have received. Without censorship i heard firsthand accounts of the harsh realities of war - the wounds, sacrifices, fun, loses and insights that comes with that particular territory. For my grandfather, and many from his generation, war was their only reason for international travel. To travel to foreign lands and engage with exotic people was somewhat of a perk for serving your country in war.
At first it was very hard for him to resurface the memories of life's worst potential - WAR - a small word for something that has generational impacts, good but mostly bad. One of the most powerful moments throughout the process was the power of images in stimulating memories that had been hidden for some 60 years. His children, wife and closest friends were still oblivious to the depths and details of his memories.
"When I was only 18, I was called up to do three months training in the Territorial Army. I was required to go to Rāwene to be medically examined in the court house, which used to be by the hotel. The doctor took my blood pressure, but said it was too low and that I wouldn't pass. He could see how eager I was to join the Army so he told me to sprint down to the end of the wharf and back up as fast as I could. He tested me again and, just like that, I passed!"
"When I was only 18, I was called up to do three months training in the Territorial Army. I was required to go to Rāwene to be medically examined in the court house, which used to be by the hotel. The doctor took my blood pressure, but said it was too low and that I wouldn't pass. He could see how eager I was to join the Army so he told me to sprint down to the end of the wharf and back up as fast as I could. He tested me again and, just like that, I passed!"
This blog is dedicated to my Grandfather, all 89.9 years of him - childhood in Hokianga, WWII, farming, marriage, children, grandchildren, life and land. In 5 days he will turn 90, and it is a time to appreciate his achievements, his life, land and family. I hope i live a life as rich as he has, and that he continues to do so until he turns 100 so he can finally receive a letter from Her Majesty Queen of England - just another minor goal that he has set himself - that he will try his hardest to achieve.
If you are searching for inspiration he lives on a small farm in the Hokianga. Take your shoes off, come in for a cuppa.
If you are searching for inspiration he lives on a small farm in the Hokianga. Take your shoes off, come in for a cuppa.
Like my grandfather, I really struggle with reflective writing. And blogging has proven to be quite a difficult task. I thought i would take this opportunity to make a collection of my favorite images from China in an attempt to tell you a story of my journey. I hope that one day we may sit down and talk about the depths and details of my memories, just as my grandfather and i did his.
Talk soon.
The World Trade building hosting Beijing commuter.
Walls and work, Beijing
It's a family business, Shangri-La
Morning noodles, Shangri-La
Innocence, Shangri-La
Guardian mountains, Shangri-La
Creeps, Shangri-La
Tuck your shirt in so you can't see the frayed edges
harsh realities of Shangri-La's sprawling urbanisation
harsh realities of Shangri-La's sprawling urbanisation
Scavenge for survival, Shangri-La
Crisp morning walk to work, Shangri-La
Faith will overcome all, Shangri-La
Local rows, way to Kunming
Hope for a generation? Kunming
Hospitality
Lost in translation
Where's my crop?
A Great Wall
Work and pride, pride and work
Dumplings and Dumpings, Beijing hutong 3am
Tubby Panda, Beijing market
Buy more
On a stick - starfish, scorpions, seahorses, lizards
Stuff for cheap
Tourist trap
Bird caged, Beijing
West meet East, Halloween in Beijing
From the other side of the fence, beauty at Tiananmen Square
Another delightful post, Rangi. You are doing a wonderful job sharing snippets of your life and the people who mean a lot to you. I look forward to meeting your grandfather when I visit you in NZ! Meanwhile, Kia huritau ki a koe to him this special week!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the images from China and remembered the places and faces that some of them conveyed. Thank you! I am sure you will have many more stories and images to share 50 years from now.