Guard of honour welcomed

Members and whanau of the 100-man guard of honour, who will march tomorrow to commemorate 100 years since the Hui Aroha welcome home for the Maori Pioneer Battalion from World War 1, were themselves welcomed this morning in a powhiri at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae. The guard will wear period uniforms provided by Sir Peter Jackson, who will be a special guest at the march. There will be two Victoria Cross medals in the parade tomorrow. Willie Apiata VC will wear his and a member of the Ngarimu family will carry the VC awarded to 2nd Lieutenant Moana Ngarimu. It will be the first time the two gallantry awards have appeared in public together. Picture by Liam Clayton

A parade to commemorate the return of the Maori Pioneer Battalion from the First World War promises to be a rare spectacle on a scale never to be seen again in Gisborne, say organisers.

It marks 100 years to the day since part of the battalion stepped ashore in Gisborne to a huge welcome home referred to as the Hui Aroha.

The honour guard marchers in tomorrow’s parade represent one man for every year since they returned.

Sir Peter Jackson’s team from WingNut Films have been here since Wednesday to make final adjustments to the World War 1 uniforms the marchers will wear.

“Sir Peter took time away from a very busy schedule to be here for the weekend’s parade,” said Nga Taonga a Nga Tama Toa Trust chairman Walton Walker.

He will also be here for the launch of Dr Monty Soutar’s book Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E! Maori in the First World War.

The trust has organised the parade and book launch.

“Sir Peter missed the parade in 2014, for which he supplied 60 uniforms for the opening of the C Company Memorial House, so its great to have him as our guest,” said Mr Walker.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to publicly thank him for all his help.”

The 100 volunteers for the guard have come from all over the North Island.

They were welcomed at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae this morning.

“It was the first time most of them have met,” said Rayner Jahnke, who is the military adviser for the parade.

“Groups of them have done their training in four different parts of the country.”

In the 1919 Hui Aroha, Gisborne shops and businesses closed for half a day and the population almost doubled as visitors from all over the lower North Island converged on the town for the welcome home celebrations.

Close to 300 soldiers from all over the eastern North Island disembarked at Gisborne on June 8, 1919.

They were accompanied by the Minister of Defence Sir James Allen, who was also acting Prime Minister at the time.

“Tomorrow’s parade will be a rare spectacle and on a scale probably never to be seen again in Gisborne,” Mr Walker said.

It starts at Te Poho-o-Rawiri Marae at 11.15am and will follow part of the route the Maori Pioneer Battalion took through Gisborne in 1919, ending at Kelvin Park in Stout Street for the book launch.

“The public are invited to view the parade or join it by carrying photos of men and women who served in the war.”

Special guests include Minister of Defence Ron Mark, Sir Peter, the Bishop of Aotearoa, and Pine Ratapu, one of the two surviving veterans of the 28 Maori Battalion and the only one left from C Company.

The official invitation to the 1919 Hui Aroha read: “Tatau tatau i roto i nga ra o te mamae o te tauwhainga. Tatau tatau i roto i nga ra o te rangimarie o te maungarongo.”

Translated it is: “As we were together in the days of anguish and contention, so let us come together in these days of peace and harmony.”

“In the same way the Nga Taonga a Nga Tama Toa Trust invites the people of Gisborne to tomorrow’s special commemorative event,” said Mr Walker.

Signed copies of Dr Monty Soutar’s book Whitiki! Whiti! Whiti! E will be on sale at the discounted price of $60 tomorrow. All proceeds will go towards the maintenance of the C Company (28 Maori Battalion) Memorial House. For pre-sales, email WhitikiBookLaunch@gmail.com