Ratu at Te Papa | by Tama

Wow! I didn't know you could take a look, a peek inside, taking time back, seeing what they saw, like mice with thousands of eyes staring down at us, daring, ready to make sure we didn't steal what was theirs.

Waddling away, staring at the empty white eyes, I gulp thinking, a mouse, a cat, a target.

My name is Tama. I gulp again, trying not to stare. I move out of the pataka (storage house). I know it's Tuesday but it feels like Ratu. I sit down thinking and start drawing. I wonder why everybody else is so calm. Suddenly I'm worrying. I look behind me and I see a bunch of tourists. I turn back around but my gut and my instinct are still worrying and then I realise that the class is going to the marae.

I run ahead to keep up with the class and go to the marae.

     "OK class, I-- blah blah blah..."
I start to fall asleep.
     "Tama?!"
     "What did I say?"
     "Um," I say, suddenly jerked to life.
     "You must've been off to fairyland."
     "I guess so, yeah."
     "Start drawing!"
I start drawing. I'm only halfway through when the teacher says to the class:
     "Lunchtime!"
     "Yay!" all the kids say.

After lunch we go back to school and then go home.

When we get back to school I say to Grandad, "can we go to Te Papa?"
     "Um," says Grandad.