Te Whakawhiwhinga o te Ngārimu V.C., 1943.

I te 6 o ngā rā o Oketopa, ka tae mai ngā tini tāngata ki Whakarua Pāka, i Ruatōria [Ruatōrea] mō te hui i whakawhiwhia ai te tohu rangatira, te Rīpeka Wikitōria [VC] ki te whānau o 2nd Lieutenant Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngārimu. Kua hinga ia ki Tebaga Gap i Tunihia, e whawhai ana i te Tiamana,[1] ā, ka tukuna te tohu nei hei whakanui i te mutunga kē mai o te toa. Ka tae ā-tinana mai ngā tini hōia, te ope kāwanatanga, ngā whānau, me ngā tamariki o ngā kura Māori.  Ko tēnei hui “one of the largest Maori gatherings of modern times”.[2]

He tāone pakupaku a Ruatōria, ki te tonga o Īhi Keepa.  E 820 pea ō reira tāngata ināianei, engari, e kīa ana, ko te tino tāone o Ngāti Porou.[3]  I te wā o te whakawhiwhinga, e 2,000 pea ngā tāngata, he Māori te nuinga, ā, tata ki te 4,000 ngā Māori e noho ana ki te Kaute o Waiapu.[4]  He wāhi ahua taratahi a Ruatōria, ā, nā te pakanga i tū ai ngā aukatitanga me te raihanatanga; nā reira i matea ai ngā whakahaere nunui kia haere tika te hui, kia tiakina paitia hoki te takitini e haere mai ana.

I waiho mā te taha hōia hei whakahaere i ētahi mea.  Nā te Central Military District i tono ngā moenga e 2,000 (kia purua e ngā Māori ki te hei) me ngā taputapu tunu kai.  Ka tonoa hoki ngā hōia e 30 o te Ope Kāinga o taua rohe e matatau ana ki te hanga whare hei whakatū i ngā karapitipiti [grandstands]. Ka whakaarohia ka hokona ngā rākau ki te hau kāinga i muri i te hui hei whakaiti i ngā utu.  Ka whakaritea hoki kia tae mai ngā hōia Māori e 850, ā, kia tū he puni mō rātou mō ngā pō e rua.  He tāngata hou ētahi nō te Ope Māori (28th), he hōia nō ngā Ope Kāinga mai i Rotorua ki Whakaparāoa, tae atu ki Wairua me Wairarapa.  Ka manaakitia hoki e ngā tāngata whenua ētahi hōia kua hoki mai i te pakanga.  I āwhina hoki he kōmiti Pākehā me te komiti Māori o te tāone.  I tonoa hoki kia mauria mai he kapu e ngā manuhiri, engari, ka hokona e te komiti Māori he kapu ki te hunga kua wareware.  Ka whakaritea hoki he tereina, he pahi, he motukā hoki hei kawe mai te mahi a te tāngata e haere mai nei i wāhi kē, me ngā kai mā ngā tini tamariki kura.[5]   

I āwhina hoki ngā kāinga Māori o te takiwā whānui.  Hei tauira, i mea mai he rīpoata nō Korongata (e tata ana ki Heretaunga) “As part of the vast amount of preparation for the Ngarimu V.C. Investiture by His Excellency the Governor at Ruatoria, the local folks have been kept very busy. Of first importance was the raising of a specified sum of money—quoted at £300—towards the great occasion.”  Ka kī hoki, “By special request from Sir Apirana T. Ngata, host and fugleman of the great celebrations and demonstrations of Maori culture in everything Maori, the Korongata Choir travelled to Ruatoria as special guests to contribute to the great event on October 6th, 1943.”[6]

Ki te whakaaro o ngā Māori tokomaha, ko Ngata te “matua” o te Ope Māori, ā, ka tukuna e tōna iwi te wāhi nui rawa atu o ōna rangatahi hei hōia.  I pātata te kāinga o Ngata ki Ruatōria.  Nā reira, kauaka te hui nei hei hāpai i te mana o te Ope anake; i raro hoki i te mana o Ngāti Porou.  Ahakoa he mema paremata a Ngata nō te taha Āpitihana, i monowatia ia e te kāwanatanga, ā, ka tuhia e te Kaingārahu ā-takiwā, e Col. H.M. Foster, i mua i te hui, “Sir Apirana Ngata, M.P., is the main mover in this, and I have been told to more or less carry out his wishes in this connection.”[7]

Engari, tua atu i te mana o te iwi, ki a Ngata, he aha te hira o te whakawhiwhinga VC?

Tuatahi, kua whakatūria te Ope Māori hei nonoi i te mana taurite o te Māori ki te Pākehā mā te tuku tahi i ā rāua tama ki te pakanga. Ko te tūmanako o Ngata, mā te toa o ngā Māori, mā ngā mate me ngā kai-a-kiri me ngā tautōhito, mā ngā whēako hoki o ngā āpiha me ngā hōia, e kore ai ngā ārai ā-kāwanatanga, te whakaiti ā-hapori, me ngā mahi kaikiri noa e tū tonu ki Aotearoa i muri i te pakanga.  E whakakitea ana te kawatau nei ki te taitara o tāna pukapuka pakupaku mō ngā mahi a te Ope, ko The Price of Citizenship te ingoa, he mea tā hei kīnaki mō te hui.[8] Nā reira, hei ariā a Ngārimu ki ngā hōia Māori katoa i tāwāhi, ā, ko te whakawhiwhi i te tohu VC hei whakamaharatanga mō te iwi Pākehā ki te utu e namatia ana ki te iwi Māori.

Tuarua, he wāhanga te Ope nō te kaupapa nui a Ngata mā kia hāpaingia te mana Māori me te tuakiri kē.  Ka kitea hoki te kaupapa nei ki ngā tini whare whakairo me ērā atu whare o te marae i hangaia, me te whakanui i ngā mahi toi me ngā tikanga o te Māori. I te wāhanga o te hui i whakawhiwhia te tohu, ka whakatuwheratia ki te karakia, he mea whakarite e Pīhopa o Aotearoa; i muri he whaikōrero nā te Pirimia me te Kāwana-tianara, me te tuku atu i te V.C., me ētahi atu tohu ki ngā āpiha Māori.  Engari, he tino Māori te āhua o te pōwhiri roa i mua i te whakawhiwhinga nei; he huhua ngā whaikōrero, waiata, haka, mōteatea a Ngāti Porou, ā, i te taha o te whaea o Ngārimu, a Te Whānau-a-Apanui.[9]  Nā reira, ko te hui nei hei hāpai i te mana, me te ingoa me te tuakiri o te iwi Māori.

Tuatoru, ka pāhotia ki te whakaminenga te whakatūranga o tētahi karahipi hou, ko te “Ngārimu V.C. and 28th Māori Battalion Memorial Scholarship”.  E toru marama i mua i te hui, ka tuhi a Ngata ki te Minita o ngā Kura, ki a Rex Mason, e kī ana: “to commemorate the first award of the Victoria Cross to a Maori, the settlers, Maori and Pakeha, on the East Coast suggest the raising of a scholarship fund to assist Maori education throughout the Dominion”.   E 2,000 i kohi kētia i mua i te hui.  I pīrangi a Ngata kia tukuna atu he tono ki ngā Kura Māori me ngā kura poari i ako ai ngā tini tamariki Māori kia kohi moni, ā, kia whakaritea e te kāwanatanga, he pauna mō te pauna.[10]

Koia nei i whakahirahira ai te taenga mai o ngā tamariki Māori ki te hui.  I mea atu a Ngata ki a Mason, “the Native Schools, of which Moana Ngarimu was such a distinguished product, should take a prominent part in the ceremony”. Ko tāna tono, kia 1,000 ngā tamariki kia whiriwhiria, ā, mā ngā kura e tata ana ki Ruatōria rātou e manaaki.[11]  E ono wiki anake ō te Tari Kura hei whakarite ko wai mā ka tae, mā hea hoki e haere mai.  Ko te whakahau a te Minita ki te Kaitohu o te Tari:

Of the children, 600 will come from Ngatiporou and not require any special arrangements on your part.  Of the other 400, 300 will come from as far afield as the Bay of Plenty and Wairoa, and 100 from Taranaki, Thames, North Auckland etc. Of these 25 will be from North Auckland and 25 from Western Maori.

. . . .

The meeting has the greatest significance as a Maori national event and it is important that an impression should be made on the consciousness of the children from as wide an area as possible. On such an occasion their racial consciousness and self-respect is strengthened in a matter that we should in every way sustain.[12]

He tino tokoiti ētahi rōpū, nō ngā kāinga taratahi.  Hei tauira, ngā tamariki tokorua o Mōtiti, me te tokorua o Ōmanaia Kura i Rāwene.[13]  I manaakitia ngā tamariki e ngā whānau o Ngāti Porou e tata ana ki Ruatōria; ko ngā tohutohu ki ngā tamariki o Te Taitokerau, kia mauria mai  “a rug, towel, toilet soap, boot polish, and if possible a toy flag of any of the allied nations. . . . Boys should be dressed in dark suits, and girls in white blouses. . . . Children should be at least 12 years of age and recommended by the teachers for conduct and self reliance.”[14]

He nui te ua o te pō i mua o te hui; i te aonga ake o te rā, ka harahara kau iho te ua.  E whā ngā waiata a ngā tamariki mō te pōwhiri; ko tētahi waiata pārekareka ko “Hitara Waha Huka”, he mea whiriwhiri “because of its wide vogue among the children of the Native Schools. . . . The piece is reminiscent of the cursing song, or kaioraora, and the children render it with the vigour and gusto of their forefathers.”[15]

I Noema 1943, ka tuhi atu a Ngata ki a Mason, mō Ngāti Porou, mō Te Whānau-a-Apanui hoki, hei whakamoemititia i tāna whakaaetanga o “the representation of Maori School Children from all parts of the North island at the recent Ngarimu Investiture ceremony. It was one of the outstanding features of the gathering, and one from which farreaching [sic] results may accrue. The men to honour whose memory and achievements in this war so many tribes and Pakeha friends cooperated will not have died in vain, if their example and deeds inspire the youth of New Zealand to strive to fulfil their complete obligation as citizens of the British Commonwealth.”[16]

I mea mai hoki te niupepa reo-Māori, ko Te Waka Karaitiana:

Ko tetahi wahi o te whakahaere o tenei hui e tino whakamihia ana ko te whakaritenga kia mauria atu etahi tamariki o nga whare kura katoa puta noa a Aotearoa kia kite ai ratou, kia uru hoki ratou ki nga whakahaere o tenei ra, kia tuhituhia rawatia hoki ki roto i nga papa o o ratou ngakau te tikanga o nga mahi o taua ra, kia kite ratou o nga haka, kia rongo ai ratou ki nga patere Maori, ara kia mohio ai ratou ki nga mahi tohunga, ki nga mahi ataahua o o ratou tipuna, kia wariu ai ratou i nga taonga rangatira o to ratou Maoritanga.[17]

Kāore e kore, ka whakaohoohotia ētahi rangatahi e ngā mahi o te hui. Ka tuhi ngā kōhine o te Kura o Hukarere ki te Minita:

We will always look back on the celebrations as one of the big events in our lives and we hope that the courage and bravery that bought this coveted honour will be an incentive to us to strive to the best of our abilities to develop whatever is good in us for the honour and uplift of our beloved race.[18]  Nā te hui hoki i tahuri atu tētahi hōia o te Ope Kāinga, a Nolan Raihania rātou ko ōna hoa tokowhā, ki te uru ki roto i te Ope e whawhai ana ki tāwāhi.[19] 

Engari, he wā pōuri hoki te rā o te whakawhiwhinga.   “Mrs Ngarimu spoke for every mother who had lost a son, when responding to the question, ‘Was she proud of Moana’s Victoria Cross.’ ‘Oh, no,’ she said, ‘I would much rather have my son.’”[20]

Nahau ra, Moana nui a Kiwa,

I roro [riro] mai ai tenei taonga nui,

Titiro mai, e tama, i Tunihia

Ki te iwi, e mihi atu nei.[21]

Whakaahua: He tamariki kura i te hui mō Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu ki Ruatōria, e waiata ana i te waiata, “Hitara Waha Huka”. Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972 :Photographic albums, prints and negatives. Ref: 1/4-000690-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22769207

Ētahi atu rauemi:

Kiriata o ētahi hōia o te Ope Māori e waiata ana i te waiata, “Hitara Waha Huka”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfsyXFXoWZI

Kiriata o te Whakawhiwhinga V.C.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bwpxxa-nLsg

Pakipūmeka o te koiora o Ngārimu, me āna mahi ki tāwāhi: https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/ngarimu-vc-1993

Kiriata: Nolan Raihania - Anzac Day 1 (2013) Waka Huia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrjZcB7wJv8

Ka kōrero a Waka Huia ki a Nolan Raihania.  I haere te koroua nei ki tāwāhi whawhai ai, hei hōia o te Ope Māori.  Hoki mai ana ia ki Aotearoa, whakatipu ana i te whānau, tū ana hei kaiārahi o tōna iwi, ā, ko ia te perehitini whakamutunga o te 28th Maori Battalion Association.

Kupu tāpiri:

[1] He haurongo mō te koiora o Ngārimu kei: https://teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5n9/ngarimu-te-moananui-a-kiwa.

[2] N.Z.E.F. Times, 11 Oketopa 1943, wh.3.   Ki ētahi, nui atu i te 8,000 te tokomaha o ngā tāngata i te hui, ki ētahi, tata ki te 10,000.

[3] “Ruatoria”, NZ History: https://nzhistory.govt.nz/keyword/ruatoria; “Ruatōria”, City Population.

https://www.citypopulation.de/en/newzealand/northisland/gisborne/1271__ruatoria/

[4] Census and Statistics Dept, Population Census, 1945. Vol.III—Maori Census (Te Whanganui-a-Tara, 1950), wh.5.   I piki te tokomaha o Ruatōria i muri tata nei i te pakanga; e 2,200 ngā pukapuka raihana i tukuna atu e te poutāpeta o te tāone i te tau 1946. Gisborne Herald, 9 Oketopa 1946, wh.6.

[5] 041 – The Price of Citizenship – Material for Second Edition, MS-Papers-6919-0235, &  043 – VC Celebrations – Ruatoria 1943, MS-Papers-6919-0238;  Ngata, Apirana Turupa (Sir), 1874-1959: Papers.  Te Wharepukapuka o Alexander Turnbull, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.  Tirohia hoki: Wartime administrative Arrangements – Award of Victoria Cross to 2/Lt. Moana-nui-a-Kiwa-Ngarimu – Celebrations at Ruatoria – Train arrangements and official party, IA1 3051, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[6] Te Karere, Noema 1943, kei roto o te uhi whakamutunga.

[7] Manatu, Col. H.M. Foster, Central Military District ki te HQ, Northern Military Headquarters, 31 Ākuhata 1943. MS-Papers-6919-0238. Ngata, Apirana Turupa (Sir), 1874-1959: Papers. Te Wharepukapuka o Alexander Turnbull, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. 

[8] Apirana T. Ngata, The Price of Citizenship: Ngarimu, V.C. (Wellington: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1943).

[9] Tirohia te Souvenir of the Ngarimu Victoria Cross investiture meeting and reception to His Excellency the Governor-General Sir Cyril Newall, G.C.B., O.M., G.C.M.G., C.B.E., A.M., Whakarua Park, Ruatoria, East Coast, 6 October, 1943 : programme & texts of items (Wellington: Whitcombe and Tombs, 1943); me te Supplement to the Souvenir Programme (Gisborne: Gisborne Herald, 1943).

[10] Reta, A.T. Ngata ki te Minita o te Taha Kura, 22 Hūrae 1943. MS-Papers-6919-0238.  Ngata, Apirana Turupa (Sir), 1874-1959: Papers.  Te Wharepukapuka o Alexander Turnbull, Te Whanganui-a-Tara. 

[11] Ibid.

[12] Manatu, Minita o te Taha Kura ki te Kaitohu, Taha Kura, 10 Hepetema 1943.  E2 584, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[13] Scholarships – Bursaries etc. Ngarimu V.C. [Victoria Cross] and 28th Maori Battalion Scholarship Fund, E2 584, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[14] Mātārere, Kaitohu o te Tari Kura ki ngā Tumuaki o ngā Kura Māori, Te Taitokerau, 16 Hepetema 1943. E2 584, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[15] Souvenir, wh.6-7. Supplement, n.p.

[16] Reta, A.T. Ngata ki te Minita o te Taha Kura, 18 Noema 1943. E2 584, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[17] Te Waka Karaitiana, Oketopa 1943, wh.130.

[18] Reta, Wai Te Weehi (mō ngā kōtiro o te Kura Kōtiro o Hukarere) ki te Minita o te Taha Kura, 11 Oketopa 1943. E2 584, Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

[19] Nolan Raihania, “He Raumahara: He Toa nā Tūmataenga”, Pīpīwharauroa / Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa, Āperira 2015, wh.4.

[20] Monty Soutar, “Te Pakanga Nui o Mua: 28th Māori Battalion Association Closure”, Pīpīwharauroa / Tūranganui-ā-Kiwa, Hānuere 2013, wh.12.

[21] Supplement, n.p.