Island Home
Christine Anu Lyrics

Six years I've been in the city
I have spent six years living in the city and away from my home.

And every night I dream of the sea
I have an intense longing to go back to my coastal home and can't stop thinking about it even in my sleep.

They say home is where you find it
People often say that you can find a new home wherever you feel comfortable, but for me, nothing feels quite like the place where I grew up.

Will this place ever satisfy me
I wonder if I will ever truly feel fulfilled living away from my home, even if I try to make a life for myself elsewhere.

For I come from the saltwater people
My heritage and culture are connected to living by the ocean, and it shapes who I am and how I view the world.

We always live by the sea
My family and community have always resided near the coast, and it's a fundamental part of our way of life.

Now I'm down here living in the city
Currently, I am residing in a city that is far away from my home.

With my man and my family
I am with my partner and our family, but despite their company, nothing can replace the feeling of being back in my island home.

In the evening the dry wind blows
As the sun goes down, there's a distinct and often harsh dryness to the air that characterizes the place where I live now.

From the hills and across the plain
The wind comes across the hills and open land that surrounds the city, bringing with it a sense of emptiness and vastness that's different from the closeness of living next to the ocean.

I close my eyes and I'm standing
When I'm feeling particularly homesick, I can close my eyes and picture myself back on the shores of my island home.

In a boat on the sea again
One of my fondest memories is being out on the water in a small boat, feeling the ocean spray and smelling the salt in the air.

And I'm holding that long turtle spear
When I was younger, I used to go spearfishing with my family, and so imagining myself holding the long spear brings back feelings of joy and excitement.

And I feel I'm close now to where it must be
Whenever I'm feeling particularly homesick, I can imagine that I'm getting closer to returning to the place that brings me the most comfort and contentment.

My island home is waiting for me
No matter how long I've been away, my island home will always be there for me, just waiting for me to return and feel at peace again.