Summary

“Accident Brief, Occurrence # 00/422” is narrated by Tek in first-person present. Tek is in the Waitaki Valley Boys Choir, a special choir that performs on top of Aikira Glacier. Their families and friends wait at the base of the glacier. Even though they cannot hear the boys singing—they do get to experience the avalanche triggered by the boys singing a high C. The avalanche is a cultural tradition that Tek’s community goes through every year as a way to honor their past, when the “pirates” conquered the Moa and stole their land. They always sing “The Pirates’ Conquest,” which tells the history in several verses—one of which details the lost treasure of the pirates.

Tek hates his stepfather, Mr. Omaru, because once his mother marries the man, she changes the...