The Ngarimu Victoria Cross Investiture Meeting and Reception to His Excellency the Governor General, 6 October 1943.
On 4 June 1943 news was broadcast world-wide that 2/Lt Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu had been awarded the Victoria Cross for his role in the attack on Point 209 at Tebaga Gap, Tunisia. It was the sixth VC to be awarded to a New Zealander in the war, and the first to a Maori soldier.
The public investiture ceremony where the Governor-General presented the award to Mr & Mrs Hamuera Ngarimu was held at Whakarua Park in Ruatoria, Ngarimu’s home town. At the time it was one of the largest and most fully documented Māori gatherings ever held.[1] Despite the rain and mud, 7000 people attended the event, including the Prime Minister and other parliamentarians, Battalion members on furlough, Home Guardsmen and 1300 schoolchildren, who came from all parts of the country. Three hundred performers had been brought together from the Gisborne district alone. Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Porou, led by Sir Apirana Ngata hosted the event that featured five hours of entertainment. Members of the National Film Unit, the official Government photographer - John Pascoe, and the press documented the event. Cameramen from the US Marine Corps also headed to Ruatoria to record the event. Read more about the event here.
This recording was made on the morning of the investiture at Whakarua Park.
Transcript
Sir AT Ngata: Panapana, kia puta mai, me ki.
Woman: Ae, kati.
Sir AT Ngata: Te Urunga Tu, ae. The next is the haka, well done, going back about two and a half centuries, 250 years ago. Te Urunga Tu. Taku pohiri e rere atu ra ki te tai whakarunga ki te puku o te whenua and so on. Kei roto i nga programmes.Tena, timata ai.
NSP 6c
Kaea: Tena i whuia!
Taku pohiri e rere atu ra
Ki te hiku o te ika,
Te puku o te whenua,
Te pane o te motu ki
Te whakawhititanga i Raukawa
Ki te Waipounamu, e . . .
Katoa: E i aha tera e!
Haramai koe ki te pohiritanga
A taku manu!
Haramai koe ki te pohiritanga
A taku manu!
Kaea: He tiwaiwaka’hau na Maui!
Katoa: Tiori rau e he ha!
Kaea: He tiwaiwaka’hau na Maui!
Katoa: Tiori rau e he ha!
Kaea: Aue te urunga tu, te urunga pae
Katoa: Te urunga matiketike
Kaea: Aue te urunga tu, te urunga pae
Katoa: Te urunga matiketike
Kaea: Aue ko tohou aro i tahuri mai,
Ko toku aro i tahuri atu,
Katoa: Takina ko au! Takina ko au!
Kaea: Aue ko tohou aro i tahuri mai,
Ko toku aro i tahuri atu,
Katoa: Takina ko au! Takina ko au!
Kaea: Aue Porou koa
Katoa: Ko Hamo te wahine koa!
Kaea: Aue ko Tahu koa
Katoa: Ko Hamo te wahine koa!
Nana i tohatoha ki Nui Tireni ka hipoki!
Haere mai! Haere mai!
Haere mai! Haere mai!
Taku hui! Hei!
Site editors notes:
- Sound levels are very low and there is intermittent static throughout the audio
- A question mark (?) after a word indicates transcript is unclear
Sound file from Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright.
Image reference
Alexander Turnbull Library
1/4-000685-F
Date: 6 Oct 1943 By: Pascoe, John Dobree, 1908-1972
Women performing a Maori action song at a hui to mark the posthumous awarding of the Victoria Cross to Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, at Ruatoria, in October 1943. Photograph taken in October 1943, by John Pascoe.
Back row: Rewa Mahuika, Kara Kirk (nee Collier).
Front row: Molly Taiapa, Mauria Tamati (nee Hale), Te Ao Kauirangi Pepere (nee Poi), Taka Taiapa (nee Chesley), Minnie Waitoa or Minor Poi (Jacob Karaka?'s sisters), and Haupai Pokai.
Further information and copies of this image may be obtained from the Library through its 'Timeframes' website, http://timeframes.natlib.govt.nz
Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Matauranga o Aotearoa must be obtained before any reuse of this image.
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