Apanui Watene

Tu Tangata, Issue 9, 1 December 1982, Page 36

Apanui Watene

POROPOROAKI/Obituaries

When I first met up with Apa we were at a social and he said to me ‘Graham, what did my father do that so many people respect him for’. After explaining to him part of his father’s contribution he replied and said ‘I will never be able to measure up to my father’. My reply to him was that it was by your own deeds that you will be known not by anybody else.

Shortly after that he was to win the first Young Leadership Award sponsored by Rothmans. From then on he seemed to almost burst through society to take up the role of leadership amongst our people.

He had many great loves, but probably his greatest love was his work for the people as a whole which he did tirelessly. He loved also to work for his church. Quite often boasted about his 10% contribution from his gross income to his church. He often said that the Anglicans did not know how to give.

He also loved working for the Labour Party which he was a member of and he gave endless hours of his services to the Labour Party. Probably one of his greatest loves was working for the Maori Council and it was in this particular role, I believe, that he overdid his work and brought about his death. For the last twelve years his body has been wracked with pain on and off and he has been in hospital in America, Australia and New Zealand. Prior to him entering hospital he said to me ‘I don’t think I can go on much Graham, nor do I think I can cheat God any longer. I think he is calling to me and I must answer’. Sir Graham Lattimer Haere te tangata whakatutu puehu, Te Tangata i whakakoikoitia ai e ana matua tupuna hei hahau i nga maunga teitei o tenei ao hurihuri. Haere i te ara o Makea, Haere kite ao tuhaha, haere kite okiokinga. Haere, haere, haere.

Born in Auckland 47 years ago, Mr Watene was credited with much of the dispute-free running of Gear Meat in Petone in the 19705.

A son of the late MP for Eastern Maori, Mr Steve Watene, he joined Gear in 1964 as Maori welfare officer and, according to him, “merely took over from dad” when he entered Parliament.

With characteristic modesty he claimed no singular credit for the

results of his city orientation programme for rural Maori recruits to Gear.

His helping hand extended to the football field which, as a player (a Counties rugby representative in the mid 1950 s and a league player for Petone from 1958 to 1960 and in 1963 and 1964), he saw as a valuable social outlet for new urban workers.

As soon as his young charges had adapted to their new lifestyle, eased by the Gear hostel serving as a marae, Mr Watene used his influence to encourage them to accept promotion.

“Balancing the scales” was his familiar catchcry. He wanted to ensure that Maoris were well represented from the freezing floor through to management.

After a term as education and training officer, Mr Watene was appointed personnel manager in 1979 and held that post until the works closed last November.

His contribution to Maori social, cultural and educational interests, was first recognised in 1968 when he was awarded the "Young Maori Man of the Year” award (a forerunner to today’s leadership awards).

His outside commitments included chairing the Petone West School Committee and the Petone Rugby League Club plus serving as president of the Ngati-Muturangi Maori Club.

Waiving any personal glory, the surprised recipient of the award said it was an honour for his tribe Ngati Maru of Hauraki.

His contribution to Maoridom was also recognised on a broader plan by the MBE in 1975.

Mr Watene joined the New Zealand Maori Council in 1967 as a delegate from the Wellington District Maori Council of which he became chairman in 1971.

He was later elected the national council’s vice-president. He relinquished both posts in March this year when he was appointed council secretary.

Before joining Gear Meat, Mr Watene trained as a primary school teacher and taught in Huntly and Tui Glen, Wainuiomata.

While at Gear he was awarded a Winston Churchill fellowship to the United States to study employment and after-work activities with organisations which employed large numbers of ethnic minorities.

Mr Watene is survived by his wife Janey, five children, and three grandchildren.

Wairemana Pitama Rewai o NgaiTahu. Deceased Sept 25, 1982

E tangi, e te iwi o Te Waipounamu, Kua hinga te mana of Waitaha, Nana i tito nga waiata nui ra, I rongomai e te ao katoa

Haere ra, e Wai, ki Hawaiki, Ki te whitanga o te ra, moe ai: Kua mutu nga mihi o te Whanau nei Kei konei tou wairua ora ake ai Ahakoa kei hea ra Ka tu nga takaro I nga pakihi whakatekateka o Waitaha, Hei reira koe, e Wai, akiaki mai ai, Kia kaha ki nga whakataetae ra, Kia u, kia mau, kia kaha.

Sent in by Bridget Meads for her Auntie Wai.

“When the Commonwealth Games were held in Christchurch at Q.E.11 Park some nine years ago, Auntie Wai was composer and tutor for the Maori welcome to the Queen and Duke and assembled guests at the opening of the Games. In recognition of this great task she received the M.8.E.”

It is with great sadness that we report the passing of Mrs Mata Hirini, National President of the Maori Women’s Welfare League from 1960 to 1964.

A gracious woman of unfailing kindness Mata was a steadfast and tireless worker for our people and strongly believed that the Maori Women’s Welfare League had an important role in building bridges of understanding between all the people of New Zealand.

During her period as President the League acquired its Headquarters, the fulfilment to the foresight and planning of its early officers and members. On completing her term as President, Mata, despite her poor health which subsequently restricted her participation in League activities, made it her mission to fundraise and so, thanks to her efforts, a mortgage on the property was paid off in a very short time, thus ensuring the future independence of the organisation.

The League saw little of Mata over these latter years but we know she was ever mindful of its work. As she once said, “We must be of one mind pull the canoe and forge ahead with the work for the betterment of our Maori people ... and of all New Zealanders”. Haere e te Whaea, haere e Kui, haere ki to Matua i te rangi.