NGA TAMA TOA – The Re-enactment of the return of C Company 28th Maori Battalion
As a member of Porou Ariki Kapa Haka cultural performance group, I had the opportunity to document organized events surrounding the book launch of Nga Tama Toa - The Price of Citizenship by Dr Monty Soutar, on C Company 28th Maori Battalion in Gisborne, New Zealand, October 25th 2008. Gisborne (population approx 45,000) is the only city in my tribal area of Ngati Porou, a confederation of tribes who inhabit the East Coast region of the North Island. Close to half the population is Maori with the majority being from the local tribes. An event of this scale is unprecedented in this area.
During World War Two, many young Maori men joined the army, encouraged to do so by tribal leader Sir Apirana Ngata as “the price of citizenship”, to represent themselves as New Zealand citizens and to serve alongside white New Zealanders as soldiers of the British Empire. Ngata’s 1943 booklet, The Price of Citizenship, asked ‘What is the gain for so much loss?’ Many never returned leaving a generational loss that is still felt today.
To commence the day and to bring together the few remaining war veterans, a parade was held of more than 2000 family and descendants re-enacting the 1946 return of the World War Two Maori Battalion walking from Gisborne Train Station to Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae, Kaiti, East Coast, New Zealand.
The role of the photographs is significant to Maori as this form of carrying photographs of loved ones who have died is part of ceremonial activities called Kawe Mate, literally ‘carrying the dead’. This event then became in a sense, a kawe mate, not for one person but for more than 900 men who had since died. At the time of the event, only 16 men remained alive and of these, very few were able to attend the parade. The five documentary photographs below were taken during the three-kilometre parade.
The re-enactment was the first chapter of a day of ceremony and commemoration culminating at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae with Maori Battalion war veterans. Many Aotearoa NZ dignitaries were in attendance, including the then Prime Minister Helen Clark. More than 5000 people were at the marae.
As a member of Porou Ariki Kapa Haka cultural performance group, I had the opportunity to document organized events surrounding the book launch of Nga Tama Toa - The Price of Citizenship by Dr Monty Soutar, on C Company 28th Maori Battalion in Gisborne, New Zealand, October 25th 2008. Gisborne (population approx 45,000) is the only city in my tribal area of Ngati Porou, a confederation of tribes who inhabit the East Coast region of the North Island. Close to half the population is Maori with the majority being from the local tribes. An event of this scale is unprecedented in this area.
During World War Two, many young Maori men joined the army, encouraged to do so by tribal leader Sir Apirana Ngata as “the price of citizenship”, to represent themselves as New Zealand citizens and to serve alongside white New Zealanders as soldiers of the British Empire. Ngata’s 1943 booklet, The Price of Citizenship, asked ‘What is the gain for so much loss?’ Many never returned leaving a generational loss that is still felt today.
To commence the day and to bring together the few remaining war veterans, a parade was held of more than 2000 family and descendants re-enacting the 1946 return of the World War Two Maori Battalion walking from Gisborne Train Station to Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae, Kaiti, East Coast, New Zealand.
The role of the photographs is significant to Maori as this form of carrying photographs of loved ones who have died is part of ceremonial activities called Kawe Mate, literally ‘carrying the dead’. This event then became in a sense, a kawe mate, not for one person but for more than 900 men who had since died. At the time of the event, only 16 men remained alive and of these, very few were able to attend the parade. The five documentary photographs below were taken during the three-kilometre parade.
The re-enactment was the first chapter of a day of ceremony and commemoration culminating at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae with Maori Battalion war veterans. Many Aotearoa NZ dignitaries were in attendance, including the then Prime Minister Helen Clark. More than 5000 people were at the marae.