THE AWARD "FOR VALOUR"

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 14, 12 October 1943, Page 8

THE AWARD "FOR VALOUR"

CEREMONY AT RUATORIA

INVESTITURE OF V.C.

MILESTONE IX MAOI-il HfSTOIIY

Rain which transformed the floor of the wide arena at Whakarua Park Ruatoria, into a sea of mudi and drenched the performers and thousands of spectators, failed in any way to detract from the spirit and tempo of the great Maori gathering at Ruatoria last Wednesday when His Excellency, the Governor General handed the Victoria Cros's, the Empire's highest award for heroism, to the parents of the late Lieut. Moana Nui-a-kiwa Ngarimu, to whom it had been awarded by the King for great gallantry in the Middle East. The attendant Maori ceremony lasted all d!ay provided a fare of war dances, hakas, songs of welcome and pleasing poi and action dances by troupes of Maori maidens, which were presented 1 on a scale never attempted. The great hui will be long remembered by the 8000 to 10,000 people attending as one of the most memorable native gatherings! of the century. Duty of his People The place which the late Lieut. Ngarimu occupies in the hearts of his countrymen was fully exemplified by the remarkable d'isplay made in his honour and the number q£ songs and hakas dedicated, to his memory. The arrangements made for the fpnetion under the supervision of Sir Apirana Ngata were modified to suit the new weather and. ground conditions, and Sir Apirana,, in welcoming the Prime Minister, paid a tr'ibute to the assistance of the army, particularly in transport. The hui took the form not only of a tribal expression of exultation in the deeds of one man who, by his valour, exemplified the battle prowess of his battalion, but also of a reception to the Governor-General. Also guests of the Maoris were, the Prime JVlinistcr, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, the Opposition Lender, Mr S. G. Holland, Mrs Fraser, and many members of the Government, the House of Representatives, the diplomatic corps and United States. Brit-

ish and New Zealand Services. , Children's Demonstration Long before the ofTicial part}- arrived the ground was packed with spectators, the stands presenting a solid phalanx of excited Maoris' from all the main tribes. A long procession of school children headed by white bloused girsl carrying floral emblems representing the V.C., D.5.0., and 0.8. E. awards, snaked, its way across the ground and took up a position 'in the rear of the. main central platform. The whole proceedings were in the hands of that veteran parliamentarian Sir Apirana Ngata, who as Master of Ceremonies, not only announced the various items, commented upon them, made speeches, of welcome and kept up a running lire of dry Maori humour, 1 but also [joined heartily in the songs and dances. "Hold Fast to Your Maorihood" Hosts for the hui were, the Ngati Porou, a main East. Coast tribe, Te Whanau-a-Apanui, a Bay of Plenty tribe:, from which Mrs Ngarimu descends, and associated tribes. To them as guests there had come for days other Maoris, from almust every native settlement in New Zealand until their associations read like n roll call of the Maori race. So representative was it that the hui had a special and rare significance, giving to the Maoris, in all the maraes which quartered them an excellent opportunity, fully taken, to exchange opinions and recall their tribal histories. As an example of the comparatively recent revival of ancient Maori customs and traditions it completely fulfilled the >in'unction to his people of the late Sir James Carroll: "Kia man 'kite koutou," or "Hold fast to your Maorihood." The hui did ex act'y what Sir James further enjoined the Maoris to do. "Whal<aringaringa he said. ("Give it hands" 7 ). and "Whakawaewae" ("Give it legs"). Ilis Excellency 'inspected, the guard of honour, which consisted of olli"crs and men of the Maori Reinporcements Training Unit,, and 011 irrlval at the entrance to the mar,i< he traditional challenge was given to the visitors.

Challenge of Entry A warrior accompanying the visitors in turn challenged the waiting recumbent Ngat'iporou war dancers, who performed tlie old-time peruperu, or the ceremonial welcome to distinguished Visitors. It proved a supreme example of disciplined frenzy and rythmic action under wartime passion. In it Avere references to the enemies we are now lighting. The Trentham Military Band was in attendance, and played an imjjortant part in tdie programme, particularly when, after the .singing of the National Anthem lirst in English and then in Maori, the children tendered a reception to His Excellency. The children were drawn up in a striking representation of the letters V.C., and they performed action songs, a lament for the late Lieutenant Moana Ngarimu, completing their performance w'ith the mass cry of 'Ka Mate, Ka mate!"

True Maori Welcome Speeches of Avelcome Avere then given, followed by ceremonial liakas by A'arious sub-,tribes. An elder of the Wlianau-a-Apauui, Bay of Plenty, tribes, to which the mother of the late Lieutenant Ngarimu belongs, folloAved the Maori custom by an address of Avelcome, while a haka of welcome was given also by the. avomcn of that, tribe. In spite of the intermittant rain showers Avhicli beat down from the h'ills this part of the performance was an inspiration which proA'oked the Avildest enthusiasm amongst the spectators. Long lines of. neatly clad maidens, flax pui-puis aswing sang and performed action songs with a rhythm and grace Avhicli A\as fairly breathtaking. Frequently their places were taken by husky tribal braves,, avlio, stripped to the Avaist, gave spirited and fearsome, interpretation of liakas old. and new. The whole display Avas a wonderful tribute to training and the Maoris innate love of harmony and rhythm. The Tokomaru troop must be singled out. for its splendid performance.

The Investiture In the afternoon the Bishop of Aotearoa, the lit. Rev. F. A. Bennett, -conducted a service, followed by an address by an elder of the Ringatu Church. The Prime. Minister delivered an address before His Excellency's speech, after which tlio investiture followed, together with the presentation of decorations to other members of the Maori Battalion. His Excellency presented the. following orders and decorations: Distinguished Service Order, to Lieu-tenant-Colonels C. M. Bennett and F. Baker; 0.8. E., to LieutenantColonel G. F. Bert rand; M.8.E., to Warrant Officer M. Te T. Mcßae; M.C. and bar,, to Major 11. Royal and Captain W.. Porter; M.C. to Lieutenant J. P. Tikao-Barrett. It was manifest, from the spirit of enthusiasm shown at the ceremony that the. whole Maori community had been inspired by this proof that the warrior spirit, historically the proudest attribute of Maori manhood, lives in the present generation. From the scope of the celebration, the way in which tribes from one end of New Zealand to another were represented, it became evident- that Lieutenant Ngarimu, V.C., was regarded as belonging, not to one family or tribe in region, but to the whole Maori people. Old quarrels, old divisions, were set aside. The keynote was unity.