'Kia toa, e hine ma, e tama ma, kia kaua hoki koutou e whakama. Me waiata koutou ki nga manu o to koutou tupuna, o Tane-mahuta. Be bold now, girls and boys, it’s no time to be shy. Sing to the birds of your ancestor, The Great Forest.' This poignant story is set in a school and then rest home environment, following the life lessons passed from a teacher to her pupils, and aligning these with the example set by Maori gods and ancestors. As the story unfolds the teacher ages and retires, and we see the beautiful and caring relationship between ‘Nan’ and her granddaughter. Nan passes away; we are reminded of the circular nature of life as her granddaughter begins to teach her own pupils lessons from the ancestors.