Volume 2 Issue 1, February 2011

Whanau Stories - Te Rawhiti Fire Brigade

This is a tribute to our Volunteer Fire Brigade. They are whanau who are very dedicated.

Rawhiti was inundated with the usual campers, boaties,

tourists and whanau who were treated to spectacular
weather through Christmas and New Year. However, the
fine dry days mean we had to be extra careful of the fire
risk and thankfully most people were well behaved. Those
who ignored the fire-ban were guaranteed a visit from
our Fire Chief, Arana Rewha (Charlie and Ngaire Rewha’s
son).

Our Fire Fighters are a voluntary group of 28 men and

women, who undergo a rigorous weekly training regime.
They have a reputation for being a hard working and
committed team and are highly regarded in the North by
their fellow Fire Fighters.

They attend car accidents as well as dealing with scrub and rubbish fires. Some of the work they did
over the summer included:

9 Jan - A head-on crash at Wairoa (between Maude and Barbs) where a tourist was traveling north on
the wrong side of the road and met a family who were heading home from camping. Fortunately there
were no serious injuries.

9 Jan - A car fire in scrub near Paroa Bay, which they managed to get to first and put it out before
anyone else responded.

5, 6 and 9 Jan - The biggest scrub fire of the summer

season at Matawera in the Hokianga. One of their
colleagues suffered severe burns to his face from hot
steam that blew back while using a fire fighting tool. He
was very lucky - if he had breathed in when the steam hit
he would certainly have died.

So thank you all who work on our fire brigade for

the great mahi you do for our community.

Finally, we need to rebuild the station so we will be

spending a bit of time fundraising soon. Any ideas or help
will be greatly appreciated.

Anya and Russell Hook and whanau on behalf of everyone.

Whanau Stories - Northland Flooding

Aunty Marara writes about her flooding

experience and being kept from home for
two days.

Good morning all,

I have had a good rest after our two-day ordeal - it

wasn't really that bad, just inconvenient. Last Friday,
Anya and I and my mokopuna Kia Maia, left here to go to
Kawakawa, then carried on to Whangarei, it poured all
the way. After our PaknSave shopping we came home,
but only got as far as Punaruku. The car in front of us had stopped and advised that the water was too
deep and we wouldn't be able to get through, so we turned back to Whangarei and booked in at a motel
for the night. Before we left home Rawhiti that morning, I had got word that Pumpi (Shem and Jackie
Parkes' son) had died and was being brought back to the marae that day.

Saturday had turned out to be lovely and sunny, so we made our second attempt to come home, got to
Whakapara, there was a long line of vehicles stretching from the garage to way past the turn-off to the
Whakapara marae. We got word from other motorists that there were 5 places between Whakapara and
Kawakawa where it was almost impossible to get through, so we decided to turn back and stay another
day/night in Whangarei. Later, we heard that the police had closed the road from there to Kawakawa.

In the meantime, Anya was txting Russell and Teina updating us on the road conditions, especially
Helena Bay. There were slips there but Road Transit was clearing them as best as they could. We turned
back to Whangarei again but then Teina txted us to say that Helena Bay was all clear, so we made our
way back again. It was a sorry sight to see all the paddocks turned into lakes as far as the eye could
see and although the water was receding, one could see by the debris along the fence lines how far up
the water had come.

We drove on, then when we came to Taupiri, there was a

big slip there, the workmen and one machine were still
there but because the slip they were trying to clear away
was too pudgy and the machine kept sliding, Russell and
Hiram had to get another heavy machine (one with a
bucket) from Paroa Bay to help finish the job, but weren't
successful there, so a machine on a big truck came from
Puketona Just as well it was fine, because we just hung
around to wait, chatted with other motorists who were en
route to Russell or Elliot's. We must have been there
about two hours I guess before we were able to move on,
and finally arrived home here, still daylight.

So that was our little adventure. Thank goodness the

weather wasn't too hot otherwise all our food in the boot
would have gone 'off.'

Marara Hook

“Success is the ability to go from failure to What has no content but you are still able to
failure without losing your enthusiasm.” see it?

Sir William Churchill A hole.

Whanau Stories - John Willoughby in Utah

Our Xmas was spent working in the cold and snow.

No rest for the wicked I guess. At least the sun came out
which took the "bitch factor" edge off of it. We were up in
Utah north of Salt Lake City in a town named Hyrum,
pretty nice up there when the sun shines. Sending you a
couple of shots Brigitte took from the truck. Gives you an
idea of small town USA, much like a small town in NZ, set
in beautiful surroundings and populated with folks that
are just trying to make the best of what they got.

Hope you guys are enjoying the summer. I'll see yah's
mid Feb when I come down for a few weeks and start
looking at setting something up so I can stay!

Much Love

John

"If you're walking down the right path and

What can fill a room but takes up no space?
you're willing to keep walking, eventually
you'll make progress."
Light.
Barack Obama
Whanau Stories - Celebrating Ratana's Birthday

The 25th of January is a significant date for the Ratana Church.

The 25th of January is the birthday of Tahupotiki Wiremu Ratana, who was born
in 1873, 138 years ago! Since his death, we, the Ratana adherents (or Morehu
as we call ourselves – morehu meaning remnants) have celebrated his birthday
by visiting Ratana Pa annually, 12 miles out of Whanganui, where our Temple is.
When TWR was still alive, people began arriving at the Ratana Pa to celebrate
his birthday, but he advised that he did not wish his birthday to be celebrated,
th
but instead, preferred the people to celebrate the 8 November which was the
date he was ‘inspired’ by the Holy Spirit and thought that was a far better
reason for celebration. However, as the date coincided with School Holidays, it
was a fitting time for whanau to take their children on the final week of the
holidays. The weather was right, the festival atmosphere was right, it was a good start of the school year
to visit the Temple and allow us to ‘fill up our bottles’ with blessings for the ensuing year!

As time went on, the families from throughout Aotearoa put aside this time to visit the Pa, it was
almost like an annual pilgrimage. As we lived in Auckland, the mode of travel was to catch the Limited
Passenger Express leaving Auckland Railway Station at 7.30 pm arriving in Wellington about 7.30 next
morning, But, all the passengers for Ratana Pa would hop off at Marton, about 5 am, then all pile on to
a train taking us to the Ratana Pa Station. The first year I started to attend these annual trips was in
1947 (I was in Standard 5 or Form 1 at Avondale Intermediate School) and this was the last time that
the train went to the Ratana Pa Station, as the railway service to there was discontinued from that year.

As passengers to Ratana Pa for this time of the year were increasing in numbers, the then Member of
Parliament for Northern Maori, Tapihana Paikea, or Dobby as he was more popularly known, approached
the Government of the day to provide a Special Train from Otiria to Ratana Pa and back again. By the
end of 1947, a Special Train had been granted in time for the January, 1948 trip. This caused a lot of
excitement amongst the Morehu throughout the north and with this news, families were able to take
extra family members to the Pa.

People from Rawhiti, Ngaiotonga, Kaikohe, Mangakahia, Mangamuka, Te Kao, Te Hapua and other
northern places would all find their way to Otiria Station, the starting point for the Special Train and
it would make its way to Auckland Railway Station where the Auckland people and surrounding areas,
Helensville etc would all be waiting to hop on. Here, too, the Railways Dept would put on 2 or 3 extra
carriages to accommodate the Auckland contingent and when the train arrived at Frankton Junction,
another couple of carriages would be added on to cater for the Tauranga, Te Kuiti and those areas.

My mother and her two sisters and all their Morehu contemporaries would
have baked, cooked
and prepared eats for the trip down, not only for our family, but to be shared
with all the other passengers in our particular carriage. Everyone else did the
same and it would be a real picnic atmosphere – very exciting I must say!

Our train would leave about 2 hours after the usual daily Limited Express to
Wellington, this meant that the refreshment stations along the way would
have time to re-stock their sandwiches, pies, fizzy drinks and cups of tea
before our train came along. We would ensure that the carriage we chose
would be about half way along the whole length of the train, because we
gauged that that particular carriage would stop right outside, or near enough,
to the refreshment rooms. We would jump out, order the cups of tea and my
brother, sister and I would ‘chain’ the cups of tea from the counter to the one
nearest the carriage.

The celebrations still go on. http://www.tainui.co.nz/te_hookioi_pdfs/Issue28.pdf

That’s all for now

Te Kuia nei, Marara

Visit http://www.theratanachurch.org.nz/ for more information.

Nga Kai Ora Healthy Food

Two poisons in our food

• FRUCTOSE & MSG

• MSG is hidden with different codes-E620 to E625.

Healthy Tip! Read all labels.

Healthy Children

• Encourage your children to read the labels while you shop with
them.

• Start your own vegetable garden for your whanau.

• Serve vegetable sticks and dip before dinner for your kids to snack.

• Make sure your children have daily exercise. Walking, running and playing everyday!

Healthy Tip! Sweets are not snacks.

Beware of Plastic Containers

• Plastic bottles and plastic containers put tiny amounts of plastic in to our bodies and can cause
diseases.

• Change any liquids you buy to drink from plastic bottles to glass as soon as possible.

• Put vinegars in to glass bottles as soon as you get home. Vinegars do break down plastic more
quickly and go in to our food.

Stay well and happy whanau till next time,

Allan Mountain

Contact Allan if you want to know more or have a question at datavoice@clear.net.nz

Joke Time!
Little boy was praying and his Dad walked passed and stopped to listen to his son.” Dear God please
bless Mummy and Daddy and Grandpa tatata Grandma”. The next day they found Grandma dead on
the floor.

That night the Dad listened again and the boy said, “God bless Mummy and Daddy tatata Grandpa”.
The next morning Grandpa was dead on the floor.

The next night the Dad said, “Oh dear! Its me next”. So he listened to the boy who said, God bless
Mummy tatata Daddy. The man stayed up all night and really early in the morning he went to the
doctor and the doctor said he was all right. He went home.

When he got home his wife came running out and said, “This morning we found the post man dead on
the door step!”
Schedule of Treaty Claims Meetings 2011

Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu Ngapuhi

HUI DATE VENUE PROPOSED OUTCOME

Monthly hui to report back tasks

Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu 26 January Mahuhukiterangi
allocated to Working Party and
Ngapuhi 2010 marae, Tautoro
IHOK and plan where to next

10 & 11
Claimants Preparation Hui Motatau Marae, Hui to finalise Claimants closing
February
for Final Submission Motatau submission
2011, 10am

Monthly hui to report back tasks

Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu 16 February
To be confirmed allocated to Working Party and
Ngapuhi 2011, 10am
IHOK and plan where to next

Tues 22 -
Thurs 24
Otiria Marae, Closing submissions for Crown and
Week 5 of Initial Hearings February
Moerewa Hapu
2011,
(3days)

To provide the opportunity for

Claimants debrief hui after 11 March, claimants and hapu members to
To be confirmed
crown evidence 2011, 10am hear and debate the Crown
Evidence

Monthly hui to report back tasks

Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu 29 March
To be confirmed allocated to Working Party and
Ngapuhi 2011, 10am
IHOK and plan where to next

Quote
"If we wish to present ourselves to the wider world as New Zealanders then we must be able to listen
to our own voices, and trace our own footsteps; we must have our own heroes and heroines inspire us;
we must persist with building our own culture with the ingredients close to hand and not import theses
ingredients ready made from abroad."

The late Michael King NZ Historian.

The Northland Treaty Claims

There are Two Stages to the Ngapuhi Te Paparahi o Te Raki / The Northland
Claims.

Stage One
The first stage is a number of hearings where the Kaikorero (speakers),
Tohunga of Ngapuhitanga and others chosen by their hapu gave
evidence. They had to submit their korero to a panel of Nga Kuia
Kaumatua o Ngapuhi for checking first.

Ngapuhi's Key Objectives for the Hearings:

1. That the Tribunal understand and record hapu understandings of He

Whakaputanga/ Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti/The Treaty
2. That Ngapuhi never ceded sovereignty to the Crown
3. That forcing sovereignty on breaches Te Tiriti/The Treaty
4. That the Tribunal’s Report of the hearings becomes public and starts the dialogue of including He
Whakaputanga/ Declaration of Independence and Te Tiriti/The Treaty in a constitution based on truth
and principle, not political expedience

Stage Two
The second stage is where all the northern hapu and iwi present their
(297+) individual claims of wrongdoing by the Crown to them. To cope
with the numbers of claims, the Tribunal said that hapu had to form
Large Natural Groupings (LNG).

At first, most hapu agreed with the Runanga o Ngapuhi funded LNG
called Tuhoronuku to present all Ngapuhi Claims. But it was found that Tuhoronuku and the Runanga
were secretly negotiating directly with the government in Wellington on behalf of the whole of the north.
In this way, the Crown will not have to worry about returning land, just handing out money for the cases
they think are proven.

The Runanga o Ngapuhi, which holds our Fisheries money, will now hold the Claims money if they get
it. Individual whanau and hapu will not get a look in.

What does the Claims Process Mean to Te Rawhiti?

Our DOC-held lands around us at Te Rawhiti (see map) might never be

returned. We need to be able to tell our stories. We need the Tribunal to
hear us.

Ngā Hapu o Te Takutai Moana is a collective of hapu centred on Ipipiri

(Bay of Islands). These hapu include Ngāti Rehia, Ngāti Rahiri, Ngāti
Kawa, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Manu, Te Kapotai, Ngāti Kuta and Patukeha. We
have come together through our shared whanaungatanga to collectively
realise our agreed vision statement ‘Kia papa pounamu te moana.’ We
are committed to working with Te Kotahitanga o nga Hapu Ngapuhi.

We are also supportive of achieving a comprehensive Treaty settlement

for all of Ngapuhi through a Ngapuhi wide approach. Ngā Hapu o Te
Takutai Moana are not to be included in any discussions with Te
Runanga-a-Iwi o Ngāpuhi/Te Roopu o Tuhoronuku in regard to Treaty
Settlements.

Register with your hapu! Both Ngati Kuta and Patukeha have their registration process on their
websites. Visit: http://www.ngatikuta.maori.nz/aboutregistration.html for the Ngati Kuta form. Just
email the forms with your name, your children's and grandchildren's and their ages to the contact -
Arnz4037@gmail.com for Ngati Kuta or pahitapu@xtra.co.nz for Patukeha.

It’s important that you sign up now! Do your bit to help the whanau
The Governor-General Visits Bay of Island College

An extract from Sir Anand Satyanand's speech to the students and staff of
Bay of Islands College

It has been a pleasure for my wife Susan and I to have

the opportunity to visit Bay of Islands College here in
Kawakawa today. I am told that this is the first Governor-
General visit to your school so it really is good to be
here.

Your education is the most significant contributor in

giving you a broader understanding of who you are,
where we have come from, and how our world works. The
different subjects you study, be it mathematics, English,
history, the arts, or sciences, are based on wisdom and
knowledge that spans more than three thousand years of
learning.

You may decide to pursue tertiary education, or you may decide to head straight into the workforce.
Whatever that choice, what you have learnt in school, including your values and key skills, will assist
you in making decisions and will prepare you for what lies ahead.

The success of a College can be measured on the success of its students and, in that regard, this
College can be proud of the calibre of its alumni. Those include past students such as Lieutenant
Commander Wiremu Leef, who was made Commanding Officer of the Royal New Zealand Navy vessel,
HMNZS Manawanui, in May last year and District Court Judge Greg Davis. I made a number of enquiries
regarding past students and mention of those two was just the beginning.

There have been many senior figures in education, for example Elizabeth Ellis, a long-time ERO
coordinator and currently the Commissioner of Te Aute College, and her sister Helen Mountain Harte,
herself a teacher and researcher. It also seems that former PM Mike Moore and his family spent time at
this College.

Each student here has the potential to be just as

successful in life after school as those I have mentioned.

Each student here has the potential to positively

contribute to the community and to the wider New
Zealand public.

Each student here has the potential to be great. In order

to make that a reality, it is important that you persevere
in achieving your goals.

And on that note of encouragement, I will close in New Zealand’s first language Māori, by offering
everyone greetings and wishing you all good health and fortitude in your endeavours.

No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.

Wiremu, Marara's moko who is a student at Bay College, went up to Sir Anand Satuanand and said 'My
Nan is Nanny Helen'. Anand gave him a smile and spoke to him.
Support strong for Te Aute College

By Doug Laing | 2nd February 2011 | Hawkes Bay Today | Photo/Glenn Taylor

The sun streaming across Te Aute College as new

commissioner Elizabeth Ellis was welcomed yesterday
was far from being the only ray of hope as the school
staves off the threat of closure. College principal Piripi
Blake just had time for the one-hour powhiri, revealing
the "turmoil" of the last fortnight has resulted in a
string of late enquiries about enrolments for the new
year. "I had a koraua come to see me on Sunday from
Taihape," he said.

For Mrs Ellis, it's been a drop-everything few days since

she was asked if she would take on the role. It was with
"mixed feelings" and the circumstances "painful" that
she took the role, but it's also "great to be here". As an Education Review Officer she has been to the
school many times, but the ties are much longer. "My mother's brothers came here," she said. "And their
sons, and then their sons."

Among those at the powhiri for Mrs Ellis were members of the resigned board, former members and
others from the community. The commissioner was welcomed by kaumatua and former pupil Tuahine
Joe Northover and Mr Blake, and Canon Hone Kaa and and Kepa Stirling represented her Ngapuhi and
Ngati Porou whanau before she was led across the paepae in front of the meeting-house Te Whare o
Rangi to take her place in the school.

Elizabeth Ellis is the daughter of Walter & Emere Mountain, sister to Helen and Aunt to Anya & co.

Toi Iho Trademark Transferred to the People

The conception of a Māori trademark was first verbalised by Sir Apirana

Ngata in 1936.

But it wasn't until 2000 that the then government’s cultural recovery
package enabled Te Waka Toi, chaired by Elizabeth Ellis, to begin the
process of developing a registered trademark through Creative New
Zealand’s ‘Seriously Māori Strategy’. The result was toi iho™– the Māori
made trademark denoting authenticity and quality. It was agreed that
toi iho™ would identify the best creative expressions of Māori and help
Māori artists market and present their work.

In 2009, Creative New Zealand’s CEO, Stephen Wainwright claimed ‘a changing landscape’ was one
of the factors instrumental in Creative NZ’s decision to disinvest in toi iho™, the Māori trademark of
authenticity and quality. So in 2010, an entity and preferred custodian of toi iho™, Toi Iho Kaitiaki
Incorporated (TIKI). "I am relieved and delighted that Toi Iho has been transferred from Creative New
Zealand to Māori after more than a year when we feared it would fade into oblivion," says Ellis.

She believes Māori artists will again be able to use Toi Iho to identify their work and Toi Iho will again
enhance a positive profile for Māori and for Aotearoa-New Zealand. However, Ellis acknowledges there
is still much of the journey and development to go for the new entity.

“TIKI has much work to do in 2011 as we re-establish Toi Iho, consult, support and promote our brilliant
Māori artists and secure funding for Toi Iho. I know that the elders who started Toi Iho, including Dr
Paki Harrison, Erenora Hetet, Diggeress Te Kanawa and Hirini Melbourne who have since passed on will
be beside us as we rejuvenate Toi Iho, so this is an exciting and
testing time,” says Ellis.

Abriged article from Tu Mai magazine http://www.ebookonline.co.nz/tumai/tumai_114_decjan2011/

Born for War by Brent Korohena

Research for a Historical New Zealand Novel

I am taking this opportunity to address you all, in relation to my

project titled Born for War an historical novel based upon New
Zealand's military history.

Born for War spans a period of approximately 200 years and

includes:

• Traditional Maori inter-tribal warfare (late 1700s-early

1800s)
• Musket Wars (1818-1830)
• Peace - Letter to the King, Declaration of Independence and Treaty of Waitangi (1831-1840)
• Northern War (1845-46)
• New Zealand Land (Maori) Wars (1860s-1880s)
• World War One (1914-1918)
• World War Two (1939-1945)
• Occupation of Japan (1945-1950)
• Vietnam War (1960s-1971)

It can be used as an academic reference. A significant discovery has also been uncovered, in relation
to the Treaty of Waitangi acknowledged by a number of current academics, scholars and historians.

The link to a promo for the prospective documentary can be viewed at http://bfwdoco.tumblr.com.au
and my documentary - maker brother (whom I will be working with)
• Kris' website: http://www.kiskerehona.com
• My research website: http://www.tumatauenga.webs.com
• A biography about Moka Te Kainga-mataa on the New Zealand History online website
http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/people/moka-te-kainga-mataa
• The proposed Three Brother Chiefs: Te Wharerahi, Rewa, Moka exhibition at Russell Museum
http://www.russellmuseum.org.nz/special.htm
• Published poem Moka's Utu composed by Doug Poole http://www.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/
MR/article/viewFile/346/538
• The artwork titled Moka's Utu by Penny Howard http://nzpoetsonline.homestead.com/
AWhenua26.html

I am seeking any interest and support from all quarters. I would be extremely appreciative of any
support, no matter what the amount or information. Any sponsors will be placed on my website, as
well as being acknowledged in the book and documentary.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Yours sincerely

Brent Kerehona
BA, MTeach

Email: kerehona@hotmail.com

"That was the big effect Lord of the Rings Clouds are high flying fogs.
had on me. It was discovering New Zealand.
And even more precious were the people-
not at all like the Australians." Rain is saved up in cloud banks.

Sir Ian McKellan

Whanau History

Te Rawhiti Public School Register 1904 - 1947

Dear Whanau,

These are precious images and they are old. Look at our karanis
enrolled as children. The first pupil Maria Ngahoro was born at
Rakaumangamanga.

I thought that they would be of interest to us all.

Helen Harte
Proposed Development Plans

Bentzen Farm

In ‘Omarino’, the Waipiro bay 15 lot subdivision where Bentzen had his farm is being sold by Heatley
and his group. A house is being built on Lot 2 . They have asked for a resource consent for building
eight 25 thousand litre water tanks for the house. We have asked that the number be reduced from 8
to 5. The owners and planners are asking for a meeting to discuss this.

Joke Time!
There was this fella with a parrot. And this parrot swears like a sailor, I mean he's a pistol. He can
swear for five minutes straight without repeating himself. Trouble is, the guy who owns him is a quiet,
conservative type, and this bird's foul mouth is driving him crazy.

One day, it gets to be too much, so the guy grabs the bird by the throat, shakes him really hard, and
yells, "QUIT IT!" He tries all sorts of things to stop the bird swearing. They don’ t work.

At that point, the guy is so mad that he throws the bird into the freezer. For the first few seconds
there is a terrible din. The bird kicks and claws and thrashes. Then it suddenly gets * VERY* quiet.

At first the guy just waits, but then he starts to think that the bird may be hurt. After a couple of
minutes of silence, he's so worried that he opens up the freezer door. The bird calmly climbs onto the
man's outstretched arm and says, "Awfully sorry about the trouble I gave you. I'll do my best to
improve my vocabulary from now on. "

The man is astounded. He can't understand the transformation that has come over the parrot. Then
the parrot says, "By the way, what did the chicken do?"
Proposed Development Plans

John Eliot's Property

The road cut in to the property opposite Pokaitaniwha is for John Eliot’s property . Opposite that is a
pile of strippings of rotten rock from Eliot’s quarry. He’s building the base of an accessway to the 3 lots
he’s had consented for subdivision. He has to improve the silt control because it borders a sanctuary
the wetlands or swamp and the estuary.

The heavy rains meant that the silt control was inadequate. This means that the clay is leaching in to
the wetland where there is a conservation area for native ducks. It is also going in to the estuary.

Alan McDonald is contracted to do the silt control. He lives opposite where this access way is placed.
We’ll all keep an eye on this.

Ka Kite Ano
If you would like to submit content to future newsletters, please email
• Helen Harte: helen-harte@xtra.co.nz
• Liz harte: liz.harte@gmail.com

To see all previous Pipiwharauroas, please visit http://www.terawhitimarae.maori.nz/pipiwharauroa

Thank you for reading!

Liz Harte, Editor

liz.harte@gmail.com