ARAWA WAR FLAG

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 59, 6 September 1939, Page 5

ARAWA WAR FLAG

TO FLY AGAIN AFTER TWENTY YEARS LOCKED AWAY AND KEY SENT TO HINDENBURG Memories of the Great War and the part played by the Arawa people will be revived when the old war flag of the Arawa people will once again fly from the flagpole on the xnarae at Ohinemutu. For nearly twenty years it has been locked ina. specially built casket as a sign of friendship between the British "ocl the German peoples. One key of that caisket was held by President von Hindenberg and the only other ond by a chief of the Arawas." The story began in 1916 when a special war flag was prepared for the Arawa people. The flag dcpicted- a Maori warrior in war regalia thrusting his spear through the Kaiser. Whenever an important battle was in the flag was flown prou<l Iv from the marae at Ohmemutu* and :whenever the news was receive of the -death in action of a member of the the same flag was, flow a half mast _ Shortly after the war the commander of the new Emden was in Rotoru a and saw the flag. He suggested that as a sign of friendship betweesv the two peoples the flag should longer be displayed, and that as lonsas peace prevailed* the flag should be locked away. -