Norman Hill
My kaumātua once told me that they recognised whānau from other iwi when they came to Huntly by the smell of their skin, because the smell of their skin represents the smell of their river, so when they came to Huntly, the Waikato River was on their skin. And I asked what was the smell of the river, and he said the smell of the river was one of aroha. I asked him, “What does aroha smell like?” He goes, “You’ll find out one day.”
Acknowledgement:
The Waikato Tainui College for Research and Development acknowledges the financial support given by the Waikato River Cleanup Trust Fund which is administered by the Waikato River Authority.
The Waikato River Cleanup Trust does not necessarily endorse or support the content of the publication in any way.