Quote by Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Tūruki: “The birds of the forest will sing again, a sign of our freedom.”

This beautiful, metaphorical prophecy uses the return of birdsong to symbolize the eventual restoration of peace, sovereignty, and happiness for the Māori people after their struggles. It paints a picture of a harmonious future.

During his years of flight and evasion, Te Kooti continued to deliver prophecies that often contained rich natural imagery, connecting the land's health and vitality with the people's future liberation and well-being.

Māori religious prophet and military leader who founded the Ringatū faith in New Zealand in the 1860s while imprisoned without trial on the Chatham Islands by the colonial government. After escaping, he led a guerrilla campaign before receiving a pardon in 1883. He is a complex and contested figure in New Zealand history.