About Me
I am the grand niece of Pita Tauriri Panapa (WWII, 28th Maori Battalion) who died in 1998 at the age of 90 years old and is buried at the Returned Servicemens Cemetery in Wairoa. His older brother Mari or Mare Tauriri Panapa is my grandfather and served in WWI (Maori Pioneer Battalion). He died in 1980 at the age of 80 years old and is buried at the RSA Cemetery in Hastings. Their iwi/hapu/marae affiliations were Rangitane, Ngati Kahungunu ki Heretaunga (Ruahapia Marae) and Ngati Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa (Taihoa Marae). Grand uncle Pita had no issue/children, and he was the youngest of five tamariki of Karaitiana Tauriri Panapa aka Shaver Panapa, no Heretaunga and Hiraina Peepi Winiata Kaihote no Te Wairoa.