Uepohatu welcome - Tiaki Omana

Tiaki Omana (John Jack Ormond) addresses the gathering at Uepohatu marae in 1947.  

Omana was member for Eastern Maori, having won the seat in 1943 from Sir Apirana Ngata who had held it since 1905. He also served with the New Zealand Maori (Pioneer) Battalion in the First World War.

The marae hosted events held on the 12th and 13th of September that included cultural competitions with local school children, the opening of the Uepohatu War Memorial Hall, a reunion of ex-service people (including members of the Maori Battalion), a concert and the opening of the Uepohatu War Memorial Hall.  The hall was built to commemorate East Coast soldiers who died during the two World Wars. 

At an investiture ceremony held on the second day, seventeen decorations were presented to servicemen and women who had served abroad and on the home front.

The gathering was an important one, attended by thousands including the Prime Minister Peter Fraser, the Leader of the Opposition Sidney Holland and other members of Parliament.  Sir Bernard Freyberg, the Governor General opened the hall and unveiled two memorial tablets inside.

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Transcript

Kei te whakamihi kia koe e Api, e hapai nei tenei mahi nui.  Tu mai nei te taonga whakamaharatanga ki a tatou tamariki takoto mai ra i te marae o Tu. No reira, tena koe e mahi nei tenei mahi nui, he painga katoa mo tatou mo te iwi Maori. Kia nui nga ora kia koe.  Kare waku wehewehe nga karangatanga kei waenganui ia tatou. 

Heoi ano, he tangata paku Maori kei roto i a ia, kia ora katoa tatou.  Kia ora tatou kua huihui mai nei, ki tenei marae i runga i te reo powhiri karangatia kia tatou kia hui mai ki konei.  No reira nga rangatira, e mihi mai nei, kia ora katoa koutou.  E haere mai nei, tatou ki konei, whakanuia i tenei ra.  Te ahua o tatou aitua kua tutaki kua whaiti mai ki runga ki tenei marae.  Hoi ano, ahakoa kare i tangitia kei roto i nga kupu, e tangingia ana te ahua o tatou aitua.  Hoi te korero haere i o tatou aitua, haere ki te kainga, kua rite nga ahu [?] o tatou.

No reira, ka nui ra te mihi e Api, te matakitaki atu i a tatou tamariki e whakangahau nei i a tatou.  Ka ora ra te ngakau ka kite atu kei te tipu ake tatou te iwi Maori, te ahua a tatou tamariki e tu mai nei ki mua i a tatou.  Tuarua kei te mau nga mahi a o tatou tipuna i mahue ake i a ratou e mahi nei a tatou tamariki i mua i a tatou i tenei ra. 

No reira, e mihi kia Tirikatene koia to tatou matua o tatou o te Maori koia e noho mai ra i roto o Poneke, to tatou matua, to tatou taha Maori.  No reira me mihi ki a ia kua tae mai te whakanui i tenei ra mo a tatou tamariki.

No reira, kati ake aku korero mo tenei wa, kia ora ano ake tatou.