Uncle's Story

Acknowledgements

This book has been in my mind since 1986. However, it wasn’t until 1 October 1999 that it began life as Brangäne’s Warning. It was completed as The Uncle’s Story on 3 July 2000. Just prior to beginning the novel the New Zealand Air Force and New Zealand Army must have been on joint manoeuvres at the military airbase at Hobsonville. All I know is that in September I kept hearing thunder in the sky: the sounds of military helicopters morning and evening coming down Auckland Harbour and over the house I live in on the harbour. The sound was a powerful stimulus to my imagination. In particular, it brought back memories of Maori relatives and friends who had died in the Vietnam conflict and, also, of two events in Washington DC, where I lived in 1987–1990, stationed at the New Zealand Embassy: witnessing the moments of grief at the unveiling of the Aids Quilt, 1997, and at the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial on Memorial Day, 1997.

In terms of research, I wish to particularly acknowledge the following texts:

Brief History of the New Zealand Army in South Vietnam, 1964–1972, Army Public Relations, NZ Ministry of Defence, Wellington, 1973; Choppers: Thunder in the Sky, Robert Genat, Metro Books, New York, 1998; Grey Ghosts: New Zealand Vietnam Vets Talk About Their War, Deborah Challinor, Hodder Moa Beckett, Auckland, 1998; Reluctant Warrior: A Marine’s True Story of Duty and Heroism in Vietnam, Michael C. Hodgins, Ivy Books, New York, 1996; Six Silent Men: 101st LRP/ Rangers: Book One, Raynel Martinez, Ivy Books, New York, 1997; Splash One: Air Victory Over Hanoi, Walt Kross, Brassey’s (US) Inc., McLean, 1991; The Killing Zone: New Zealand Infantry in Vietnam, 1967 to 1971, Colin Smith 1987; The New Zealand Army: A History from the 1840s to the 1980s, Major M. R. Wicksteed, RNZA, Wellington, 1982; Te Mura O Te Ahi: The Story of the Maori Batallion, Wira Gardiner, Reed, 1992; and Wounded Warriors, The true story of a soldier in the Vietnam wars and the emotional wounds inflicted, Colin P. Sisson, Total Press Ltd, Auckland, 1993.

Documents about the 28th NZ (Maori) Batallion by Bruce Poananga and George Rogers were also consulted.

The First Peoples’ Conference described in Part 6 of the novel is based on the ‘Beyond Survival’ conference, Ottawa, Canada, 1992 and the ‘To See Proudly: Advancing Indigenous Arts Beyond the New Millennium’ conference, Ottawa, Canada, 24–27 September 1998. The political debates that occur in the novel are extrapolated from some of the issues that arose at both conferences.

The ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ (Axton/Durden/Presley) © lyrics on p. 240–243 are reproduced with kind permission by J Albert & Son Pty Ltd.

The lines on p. 120 were written by Nguyen Du, an 18th century Vietnamese poet and philosopher.

As always, my thanks to Jessica Kiri and Olivia Ata, my constant inspiration. Thanks also to Jenny Te Paa, who will recognise herself, to Darling Thing, to Little Bear, who came into my life just when I needed him, to Jenny, Jaimie and Gretchen, my madcap companions on the trip through Texas, and to the boys in Hawaii.

Finally my thanks and tribute to my publisher, Geoff Walker, Jane Parkin, my editor, and Louise, Mary and Marilyn who helped me through the jungles of Vietnam.