The following is excerpted from Station of Earth-bound Ghosts, an essay by Wystan Curnow
(from Te Tangi a te Matuhi, p32, ed. Wystan Curnow & Leigh Davis, pub. Jackbooks, 1999)

Ghosts and Angels

There are ghosts and angels aplenty among these flags. 'Macoute the aeerial elocution of the angels' humm…' This flag invokes, gives voice to the language of angels. Lingo from language limbo: 'humm, glossing dat high pitch mute/bure tin border corona. Tihei Mauriora…' Two lines transporting us across the firmament of post-colonial languages, from the Caribbean, to Melanesia, to New Zealand, in a single breath. The figure, with the raised arm similar to Ringatu, at its heraldic centre, derives from the flag known as the Te Kooti Standard, and is said to represent the Archangel Michael (Mikaere). This spirit, God's warrior angel, who appeared to, who made himself present to Te Kooti, is the one who brought him word of his holy mission and became his, as they say, guardian angel thenceforth. It is the angelic in Te Kooti 'who speaks God'' and who in his own words, 'desires life', consummation of his marriage to Te Rongopai.