“Amohia
Te Mauri”
(Carrying the legacy)
The Day starts…with a ceremony at the Gisborne
Railway Station
We are re-enacting the return of C Company in 1946. A minor
incident occurred on the return of C Company at the end of the
war. The unit was under military orders to remain intact on
the railway journey from Wellington to Gisborne, until after
the formal welcome at the marae Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae. However,
9 men from Muriwai under request from their pakeke elected to
jump from the train as it passed through their home village
20 kms south of Gisborne. The WA165 Steam Train will make the
run out to Muriwai early on the day of the launch, where it
will collect the children & families of the area.
7.45am Train departs Gisborne - The train will depart
from the Gisborne railway station for Muriwai, arriving there
before 9:00am. Up to 127 people in total from the surrounding
district will embark.
8:00am Registration @ Gisborne Railway Station,
Grey St – We meet and those who have pre-registered will
collect their photographs at the Gisborne Railway Station. Signs
will direct you to the platform at the eastern end of the building
for this. Most photographs belonging to Muriwai & Manutuke
will have been already delivered to Muriwai in the previous
week.
8:45am
Train departs Muriwai - for Gisborne.
9:30am
Train Arrives back at Railway Station - a welcome will
be given by the Mayor of Gisborne to the arrivals and those
already aligned for the Civic Parade.
9:40am Speech by Mayor of Gisborne –
welcoming Muriwai and joining all others on parade.
9:50am Parade departs Railway Station –
2.4km walk through main street of Gisborne to the marae in Kaiti.
10:00am The descendants of C Company march! The parade
heads off and will be a friendly mix of children and families.
We are planning for at least 1,000 school children from the
region to carry a photograph of their ‘Papa’ who
served. The Tairawhiti Museum has copies of 876 photographs.
69 men do not have photos. A postcard sized shot will be provided
by the Museum.
The parade will be organised in order of “Rohe”,
beginning with the people from Ngai-Tai (Torere), Whanau-a-Apanui,
all of Ngati Porou, the tribes of Turanga, culminating with
the Ngai Tamanuhiri of Muriwai. Up to 10 Kapa Haka teams from
every rohe will also be included in the entertainment later
in the day, so that we expect almost 500 adults to accompany
the children.
10:30am
Parade Arrives - Handing over of photos at the marae.
11:00am
The powhiri - will begin and run for no more than one
hour. Guests will include VIPs & Battalion veterans from
the other companies. All C Company descendants are expected
to stand on the host side!
12:00pm – Book Launch Ceremony itself.
12:30pm – Book sales begin.
1:00pm – Tairawhiti Kapa Haka rocks!
Revival of WW2 compositions rarely heard today!
If
you are a descendant of C Company, you line up on the host side
for the powhiri!
