AN ESTEEMED SON RETURNS HOME

The wailing sound of the conch shells echoed across the bay as Ngapuhi called out for their son to return.
A 1500-strong crowd waited silently on Saturday with baited breath as slowly, Corporal Willie Apiata, walked up the hill from Hobson's Beach onto the Waitangi Treaty Grounds - the ancestral home of his estranged father.
Wearing a korowai over his military uniform, SAS soldier Cprl Apiata gripped a greenstone patu in one hand, and in his other, clung to the hand of an elder from his adopted tribe in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
All eyes were on the hero who was awarded the highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, for, and ``with total disregard for his safety,' carrying a critically wounded colleague 70 metres through intense enemy fire before returning to battle in Afghanistan.
He is one of only 13 living Victoria Cross recipients worldwide, the first New Zealander to receive the honour in six decades and the only living Maori recipient.
Cprl Apiata and his delegation of whanau and returned soldiers, stopped on the Treaty Grounds as Ngapuhi warriors challenged the visitors with a taki - a ceremony where the hosts make sure the visitors come in peace.
This was followed by a rousing haka, performed by youths from eight different Northland schools.
The procession was then led before the flagstaff where Cprl Apiata spent over an hour greeting Ngapuhi tribesmen, RSA members and Northland politicians with a handshake, a hongi, a kiss or a hug.
During the speeches, "respect" "pride" and "welcome home" were the words on many lips as the "man of the decade" was dubbed a "reluctant hero."
"Willie, we're all so proud of you," said the Northland President of the RSA, Archie Dixon.
He went on to say how Cprl Apiata's actions should be a lesson to young Northlanders.
"The duty to yourselves and your country is to everyday strive to do your best."
The importance of the event was epitomised by Bay of Islands kaumatua Wiremu Wiremu who said: "He's one of ours and he's come home. We've been blessed."
Mr Wiremu earlier shouted at the practising haka performers before the big event, "Some of you in the front row are smiling.
"No smiling during the haka for Willie. No smiling this is important."
Also proud to be part of the ceremony was Northland-based Labour list MP Shane Jones who said the "whole of Northland" stands with Cprl Apiata.
"His gallantry and his humility can be a good lesson to our young people. In a sea of negativity he is like a beacon," Mr Jones said.
After the speeches, Cprl Apiata was handed back into the Ngapuhi fold and spoke to the crowd in a voice trembling with emotion.
"I am a descendant of Ngapuhi and this is the blood that runs through my veins. I come home to this land as a warrior, a soldier and a humble man," he said.
"It has been a very moving and emotional experience.
"I just feel very humbled by the people who are here, I feel what they are feeling at the moment."
His army colleagues then performed an impromptu haka.
Cprl Apiata told media at the ceremony: "No matter where you're standing, or what earth is under your feet, you always know where your home is.
"We're all warriors, some just have to find the warrior inside."
While Saturday's events were undoubtedly dazzling, they may also have been overwhelming for "Uncle Willie", his nephew told the Northern Advocate.
"I think he'd much rather be running around the bush pig hunting," said 19-year-old Isaiah Apiata.
"He might be embarrassed by all the fuss today but that's because he's so humble. To have Uncle Willie come here and sit amongst us is an honour. But even if he wasn't my uncle I'd still be proud. He's one of my tribe and one of my people."
* WHO IS CORPORAL WILLIE APIATA?
Willie Apiata was born on 28 June 1972 in Mangakino in the Waikato.
His birth certificate carries the first name Bill but he is known as Willie.
His father is Maori from Oromahoe marae and his mother is Pakeha.
His parents are separated and he has not had contact with his father for several years. He spent the early years of his life in Northland but at the age of seven moved to Te Kaha in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
Cprl Apiata has a 4-year-old son with his ex-partner and feels very strong affiliation to Whanau-a-Apanui, which is also the iwi of his ex-partner. He says his home marae is Tukaki Marae in Te Kaha.
He enlisted into the New Zealand Army on October 6, 1989 and passed NZSAS training cycle in early 2002.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions four years ago when he saved the life of a fellow SAS serviceman in Afghanistan.
Caught in crossfire, Corporal Apiata risked his life to get his critically injured mate across 70 metres of open ground to the main Kiwi group and to the medical assistance the injured man so desperately needed.
Fully exposed to heavy enemy fire he heaved the injured man onto his back and carried him uphill back to his base. Apiata rearmed himself and rejoined the battle.
Medical opinion is that had the injured man not received immediate medical attention, he would almost certainly have died.