2021 winners

Intro music

 

Text on intro slide:

Kararaina Parata

Te Kura Mana Māori o

Whangaparāroa

Te Moana a Toi

 

I whānau mai a Henare Mōkena Kōhere i te 10 o Maehe 1880 ki Te Araroa i Te Rāwhiti

Caption: Hēnare Mōkena Kōhere was born on 10 March 1880 at Te Araroa, East Cape

 

Nō Ngāti Porou

Caption: He was of Ngāti Porou decent

 

He pāpā, he hoa rangatira, he kaipāmu, he hoia

Caption: a father, a husband, a farmer, a soldier

 

Kuraina ai ia ki Kawakawa me Te Aute

Caption: He was educated at Kawakawa Native School and Te Aute College

 

Whai ia i te mahi pāmu, he nanakia ki ngā mahi a Tūmātauenga, he niwha ki te arahi haka, he toki purei whutupaoro.

Caption: He studied farming, showed prowess as an army cadet, was an exponent haka leader and an accomplished rugby player

 

He mātau ano ki te tuhi reta

Caption: He was also a skillful writer of letters

 

Nā tōna tuakana a Rewiti Tūhorouta Kōhere i perehi ki te nupepa Te Pīpīwharauroa

Caption: These were published in Te Pīpīwharauroa, where his older brother, Reweti Tūhorouta Kōhere, was the editor.

 

He nui ngā mahi i oti i aia

Caption: He achieved much in his life

 

Nō te wehenga ki te pakanga nui tuatahi, i waiho ana tamariki ki tō rātou kuia a Kararaina, māna e tiaki

Caption: When he departed for World War 1, he left his children in the care of their grandmother, Kararaina

 

Ko te kōrero e whai nei e hāngai ana ki tana reta mutunga ki te whānau i mua tata iho i tōna matenga

Caption: The following story is based on a letter he sent home shortly before he died

 

Ko te hanga, ko ngā whakatipuranga e rima e utu ana i tōna reta

Caption: 5 generations of descendants reply to his letter

 

Hēnare Mōkena Kōhere

 

Te 20 o Akuhata, 1915 atu I te hōpuni hoia Māori I te haukapua   

Caption: Māori Camp Devonport, August 20, 1915

 

 Ki aku tamariki, E hika mā tēnā koutou

Caption: My children. Well, hello to you all

 

E Hiki tēnā koe, koutou ko tuahine me o taina, tipuna me o mātua

Caption: Hello Hiki, and your sisters, your siblings, and your parents

 

Kua tae mai pea a Apo kia koutou

Caption: Perhaps Apo has arrived to be with you all

 

He paraire tēnei rā, ka haere te iwi māori kei te taone, ko au anake te apiha…

Caption: It is Friday, the people have gone to town, I am the only officer at the camp. 

 

Ngarangi Kohere

 

Kia ora Papa, Toru tau taku pakeke i te wa i mate koe

Caption: Hi dad, I was only 3 years old when you died

 

I mate a Mama a, i mate a Granny Kararaina, I whangaihia e Papa Apirana i a matou ko Te Huinga me Hiki

Caption: When Mama and Granny Kararaina died we were cared for by Papa Apirana.

 

Kua noho pani matou, he ngoikore, he mokemoke, kaore he matua

Caption: We were orphans, helpless and lonely without a parent.

 

Tekau ma wha taku pakeke inaianei

Caption: I am 14 years old now

 

I neke ahau ki Akarana kura ai, i te taha o Sir Peter me Lady Buck

Caption: I moved to Auckland for school, staying with Sir Peter and Lady Buck

 

He wahine ataahua ia. Kua korero mai nga tangata o te kainga, kaore koe i te hoki mai, engari kei roto koe i taku ngakau Papa i nga wa katoa

Caption: She was a beautiful lady. Many people told me that you weren’t coming back, but I still feel your wairua with me every second.

 

He tino pouri a Hiki

Caption: Hika is very sad

 

Ka aroha nui, Ngarangi

Caption: Lots of love, Ngarangi 

 

Kararaina Parata

 

Kia ora Papa Henare. Ko to mokopuna, Kararaina Te Puranga Pani tenei

Caption: Hi grandad Henare, I am your grandchild, Kararaina Te Puranga Pani

 

Ko Te Puranga Pani, he kainga o nga tamariki pani, kaore he matua

Caption: ‘Te Puranga Pani’ meaning Home of Orphans

 

I noho pani taku mama, a Ngarangi me ona tuakana a Te Huinga raua ko Hiki

Caption: My Mum Ngarangi and her older sisters Te Huinga and Hiki were left orphans

 

Kua panui ahau i o reta

Caption: I have read your letter

 

Hei kona ra e Hui – kia aroha ki o taina, kia pai ki a Ngarangi, a, kia pai ki a Hiki

Caption: You said “Goodbye, Hui, be good to your your siblings, be good to Ngarangi and be good to Hiki”

 

Hei kona ra, e Hiki, tae rawa atu au, kua pakeke rawa koe

Caption: Goodbye Hiki, when I eventually get there, you will be an adult

 

Kaore koe i hoki mai Papa

Caption: You didn’t come back pāpā

 

Nga aroha nui Kararaina

Caption: Lots of love, Kararaina

 

Ani (Anne (Parata) Apirana)

 

Kia ora Pāpā Henare

Caption: Hi Great Grandad Henare,

 

Ka tangi hotuhotu te ngakau i te taenga atu ki a koe i te urupa i France, 16 o Hepetema 2016, to ra maumahara, kotahi rau tau ki mua

Caption: I felt deep sadness and sorrow when I visited your grave in France at Heilly Station Cemetery, on 16 September 2016, one hundred years after your passing (on 16 September 1916)

 

Ko taku tino hiahia kia whakahokia mai i a koe ki te kainga

Caption: I so wished I could have returned you home with me

 

He mokopuna koe no nga kawai rangatira o Ngati Porou, Mokena Kohere, Mohi Turei  

Caption: You were a grandchild of the chiefly lines of Ngāti Porou of Mokena Kohere, and of Mohi Turei.

 

I tau ako whakairo I te ataahua o to waahi takoto, I France, he whenua tawhiti rawa I te kainga

Caption: I felt a sense of relief knowing how beautiful, your resting place is in France, a land far from home.

 

Moe mai ra e Papa

Caption: Rest now, Pāpā

 

Na to mokopuna tuarua Ani

Caption: Your Great Grand Daughter, Ani (Anne (Parata) Apirana)

 

Haka chants : “ko wai te whare nei e! Ko whitireia, ko whitireia! Ko wai te tekoteko kei runga! Ko Paikea, ko Paikea!”

 

English translation for letter shown in video (no voice over)

 

Kia ora Pāpā,

Ko tō mokopuna a Katene Parata tēnei. Toru tekau mā iwa taku pakeke inaianei. I whāngai taku kuia, a Kararaina, I ahau. Ko tāna māmā, ko “Little Nan” ko Ngārangi putiputi, tō tamahine, tō pōtiki. I kuraina au ki Te Kura o Ritana, i Turanga.

Hi great great grandfather,  

I am your great great grandson, Katene Parata. I am 39 years old. My nan Kararaina brought me up. Her mum Ngarangi Putiputi or “Little Nan” is your daughter, your youngest. I went to Lytton High School, in Gisborne.

 

Tekau ma wha taku pakeke ka mohio ahau ko koe taku tipuna, he tangata rongonui, he hoia I arahi I a Ngati Porou ki te pakanga tuatahi o te ao. I korero mai a papa Henare Swann, he toa koe ki te haka. A mohi au ki te haka “Te Ope Tuatahi”. Ka tu au ki te haka, ka whakairo nui kia koe.

I am now 14 years old, and I know that you are my ancestor, a famous person, a soldier that led Ngāti Porou in the first world war. Pāpā Henare Swann said that you were an exponent of the haka, the pioneer battalion. When I stood to haka, I thought of you.

 

He harikoa ahau, ko koe taku tipuna, he rangatira, he kaiarahi pai I ngā āhuatanga katoa.

Katene.

I am happy that you are my ancestor, and you are a chief and a leader in everything that you do.

Katene

 

(Haka chants end)

 

Kararaina Parata

 

Kia ora Tipuna Henare,

Caption: Hi ancestor Henare,

 

Ko Kararaina Parata tenei, tetahi o ou mokopuna maha

Caption: It’s Kararaina Parata, one of your many descendants (grandchildren)

 

Kei te hiahia au ki te whakahonore i a koe i roto i tetahi whakataetae

Caption: I want to honour you in a competition

 

Kua rongo au i nga korero rangatira mou. Ka nui te pouri ki to panui i nga taumahatanga ki runga i nga tipuna kuia, koroua i nga wa o mua

Caption: I have heard many wonderful stories about you. Oh, the sorrow to read about the burdens carried by the elders in the past.

 

Kaore au e pirangi kia haere koe ki te pakanga i tawahi mo te kore noaiho

Caption: I don’t want you to go to war overseas for no reason.

 

Arohanui Kararaina

Caption: Lots of love, Kararaina

 

Hēnare Mōkena Kōhere

 

…kua tata koutou te kite ia pāpā. Me inoi tonu kōrua ko tō taina e Hui mo Pāpā. Mā te atua tātou e Hiki e āwhina, I ngā wā katoa, ā ka kite ano.

…you will see me soon. You and your sister Hui should pray for dad. May the lord uplift us and help us all the time. See you later.

 

Heoi anō Nā tō koutou Pāpā aroha

From your loving father

 

ma Ngārangi e tuari i ngā kihi

Ngārangi can share out the kisses

 

(Lady singing) 

 

Tīmoti Karetai 

My name is Tīmoti Karetai. I go to Hato Paora College. This is my great grandfather’s house,

George Ellison, and he was in the Māori Battalion. 

 

Narration

George Ellison enlisted in the Māori Battalion in 1940. 

He became a member of the Māori Battalion's D company. The company's men

covered the largest land area of all the companies., coming from South Auckland, Waikato,

Taranaki, Whanganui, Wairoa, Hastings, Wairarapa, Manawatu, Wellington, and the whole

south island. There were also a small number of people that came from the Pacific. 

 

Tīmoti Karetai 

This is a interview that was done with my great grandfather in 1982. I’ll read a

couple of passages from his interview.

 

And then war… I’d not long been home and then war broke out. I can remember

just sitting in the kitchen being with Dad. Dad broke into tears. Guess his feelings were we

would have to go. 

 

I was in Egypt when Dad passed away.

 

Narration 

On the 22nd of November 1941, George Ellison and the Māori Battalion arrived at

the Libyan-Egyptian border.

 

Early the next morning, the Māori Battalion would stage an incredible take over of

the Sollum Barracks from German and Italian hands.

 

A war correspondent from Cairo reported about the event…

 

The cries of Maori haka broke through the dawn as the Maori Battalion swarmed to

a spectacular attack near Sollum, under heavy machine-gun, anti-tank, and artillery fire

Heavy artillery fire from Halfaya Pass continued, but the Maoris refused to budge.

When the Germans realised they were up against inspired Maoris who knew no fear, they

withdrew from the barracks and retreated

Timoti recounts Sergeant George Ellison’s first hand experience of this moment in

battle.

Tīmoti Karetai

Early. Morning, just breaking daylight and the whole battalion broke into a haka.

800 voices were calling out. You could hear it for miles, and what a feeling you know. 

You could see the jerries firing at us. You could see the tracers coming and the

tracer bullets. They seemed to go straight around and whizz past you know. We managed to

get right there. We got close. A couple of hundred yards and everything went dead. The

jerries dropped all their tools and ran. However, they retreated to Halfaya which was miles

beyond it.

Narration 

George recalls a few of the harsh realities he experienced in the war.

Period over there was so different. Life was so different. So strange to us all.

Timoti continues.

Tīmoti Karetai 

All stages were tough at times as a matter of fact my clothing used to be standing.

I’m sure if I took my trousers off they’d just stand up without me in them. It was full of blood

and stuff you know? Every time you picked up a chap your hands get full of blood and stuff.

You couldn’t let your feeling be carried away. You didn’t worry about the blood or anything and

that’s how it was.

Poua Sgt George Ellison 

No reira ngā mate haere, haere ki te po.

Tīmoti Karetai 

This is my great grandfather George Ellison. He died in 1991 and he’s buried here

at the urupa in Otakau.