Red Earth from Red Earth by Kendall Elise

Learning that the word Papakura is said to translate from Te Reo Maori to “Red Earth”–Because of the red clay foundations of the land in the area - Is what sparked my idea to write this album. It made me wonder about the history of Papakura and why, as children or young adults we are never taught anything about how it was established. I wanted to learn more about the tangata whenua of the land and decided to do research but found most of the resources from the Papakura library wouldn’t mention Maori at all – If they did, it was to gloss over the part about the New Zealand Wars by saying “By 1886, Most Maori had left the area” when in actual fact they were pushed out, with many of their areas of significance erased by being bowled over, or by being renamed and new roads created parallel to the old. I was gobsmacked to find that this was not common knowledge amongst my generation that grew up there. It angered me that some are still in denial about the negative impact that this had on the area and its people.

Tracklist

5.	Red Earth	4:28

Lyrics

I want to call you by your true name
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past
Denial is no way to heal
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past

Little did you expect to be boxed in by whitewashed walls
And earth red from open wounds

I want to call you by your true name
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past
Denial is no way to heal
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past

Little did you expect to be boxed in by whitewashed walls
And earth red from open wounds
The mouth of your harbour gagged by a motorway strip
Your forests razed, your veins lined with concrete

I want to call you by your true name
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past
Ignorance and denial is no way to heal
Don’t let them don’t let them don’t let them cover up your past

I see you for what you were
I see you for what you have lost
I see you for what you can be now

Credits

from Red Earth, released May 3, 2019
Words and music by Kendall Elise

Kendall Elise - Vocals, acoustic guitar, backing vocals
John Segovia - Electric guitar
Rob Scott - Bass
Chris Kemp - Drums, Percussion
Alan Meharry - Backing Vocals

Produced by Kendall Elise and Alan Meharry
Recorded at Roundhead Studios
Engineered by Patrick Hill
Mixed by Scott Seabright
Mastered by Chris Chetland from KOG

License