nikau taumata | capitol | cb

The so-called details of Nikau’s whakapapa¹ span far beyond a few years before the dark days. Every member has a birthplace with a number next to it or in that over exuberant place called the Capitol. There are waiata’s² sang about peace and love found in a land described unlike anywhere in Panem that Nikau knows of. Not that Nikau is a travelling type to confirm that there is a so-called sacred land far from the illuminations of Saturn City. Though each kirituhi³ inked on his relative’s skin have a meaning, a significance but its origin, its real history? Sometimes it can be slightly unbelievable to the sceptic forty-something year old. It is how society today has taught him…

Just as unbelievable as the bloodbaths that he has been commentating. ’Just keep your vocal cords sealed. Smile. Remember you are being paid for this.’ Is what he says to himself before the red-light flickers on and the cameras start to roll though it sometimes does not go that way, his co-host is good at dropping a distraction to another topic. Good at holding him back from lighting up too many hot takes or full on delivering a rant. Paid and kept from the execution block. It is one way to live!

Saturn City has its distractions and its faces that he welcomes every hour of the day. The retired director could not shake the attachment to the ever-talented older retired actor, Nero Blaustein from his filming days. The industry went sour against Nikau’s taste. His movies started to fall down the box office lists, and a change of career needed to be made. Now he sits besides the old boy he used to direct every night. They share a street. Always together when Matariki⁴ and Ratmukkah roll by.

Oh wow, he would not have it any other way!

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whakapapa¹ - genealogy
waiata² - songs
kirituhi³ - Māori tattoos
matariki⁴ - Māori new year