10-year-old Maaka enters an old school gymnasium, he is frightened of fighting and scared of boxing lessons from Sister Josephine. Once inside she asks if he has worked hard at school this week and if he is pure at heart. She then presents a hard punch that catches him off guard and brings him to his knees.
Two Maori boys sneak into the gym hiding behind the climbing wall to watch, smirking at the unfolding spectacle from within. Sister Josephine Jabs at him both verbally and physically with instructions for fight moves, Maaka hesitantly fights back as she swats him with a flurry of punches goading him on, driving him back, and bringing tears to his eyes.
Distracted by the bully boys in the background he feels humiliated as they witness his struggle firsthand. Sister Josephine shouts how does he expect to box with tears in his eyes?
As she moves through she gives him instructions to breathe, relax, to concentrate on moving his feet. Then attacks more punches to his head and ribs, hurting Maaka.
Maaka gathers inner strength and courage to defend himself. A punch to Sister Josephine appears to knock her out cold as she hits the floor and slides across the floor, for an instant Maaka is stunned in horror at what he has done.
Sister Josephine struggles to onto one elbow and slowly sits up. She sees and calls out the watching boys who dash from their hiding place outside into the sunlight.
As she struggles to sit up, she smiles as she tells him she will make a scrapper out of him yet, if she’s not mistaken. Maaka grins relief. Sister Josephine has gifted him a valuable lesson that the fighting spirit cannot be taught – the student must find it from within.
What does finding his fighting spirit within look like? And is the “that he will carry for life” part necessary?