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Sian Tinirau's journey into exploring her whakapapa has taken an unexpected — and much longer — twist in the road than she imagined.
Little did she dream that the exercise would result in her and some of her Ngati Uenukukopako whanau planning a trip to visit the graves of uri who died in World War I.
Sian and Tysha-Lee Ranclaud spearhead a campaign to Gallipoli in 2023 and plan to be at Anzac Cove on April 25 for the commemorative services for both New Zealand and Australia.
"We're going to be in Turkey and spend the night at Anzac Cove."
Deposits were paid last month for the trip which costs $8000 for the economy package but it can be upgraded for $12,000.
The party has a special Covid insurance in case that ngangara is still around.
Sian, who has never flown before and who has issues with claustrophobia, believes that by 2023 the world will have learned how to live with Covid.
But she has the connection of her airmen tupuna to keep her safe.
"For my first ever flight I'm going to spend 16 hours in the air before we land at Dubai."
Sian is no stranger to Anzac Day services as Ngati Uenukukopako has its own Anzac committee and has marked that day in the calendar with dawn parades alternately at their home marae of Ruamata, Pikirangi and Owhata.
About five years ago they began Armistice Day commemorations in association with the Rotorua Airport.
Covid-19 put paid to this year's service, which would have taken place yesterday, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month signalling the end of World War I.
That's a shame because the newly renovated departure hall features a magnificent photographic gallery of 10 Ngati Uenukukopako airmen from World War I.
"I saw them for the first time today [Tuesday] and they are awesome. Everyone should see them."
Delving into her whakapapa inspired Sian to make the pilgrimage.
"Just about everybody was in some kind of deployment to Gallipoli, Africa, Egypt and other places.
"I want to go and and see where they fought and lost their lives. It's so far away from home.
"I thought wow, that was so long ago. But then I realised 100 years is not that long."
One hundred years is not that long for Sian because she had her Nanny Rongomaipapa Kokiri/Taikato her whole life. The kuia passed away in August this year at the age of 103.
Getting the money together for this mama of two has been made easier because of the huge support from "around the lake."
"As soon as people found out about our trip at least 50 set up automatic payments for nine months to support our raffles, lotto drops, battens up and houses.
"We have two major fundraisers before the end of the year and they are all sold out."
The youngest in the 25-strong travelling group is 24 and the oldest is in her 80s.
Sian is excited and knows that time will just fly. She has just about 16 months to prep
herself for the biggest journey of her life.
Kōpiupiu noa ana te hoenga a tō Sian Tinirau waka i tana kaupapa whakapapa he piko he kura huna, he piko he kura huna.
Kāre rawa e hua ake te whakaaro i roto i a ia me ētehi o ngā uri o Te Ure o Uenukukopako he kaupapa pena pūtea e āhai ai rātou ki te whakawhiti atu ki ngā tupapaku i mate noa atu i te pakanga tuatahi o te ao.
Kai te whakaritea e Sian me Tysha Lee Ranclaud tētehi haerenga ki Karipori a te 2023 me te haere ake ki te whanga o ANZAC a te 25 o Paengāwhāwhā ki te whakanui ngā hōia huhua nō Niu Tīreni me Ahitereiria.
"Ka tae atu māua ki Tākei ka noho te pō ki te whanga o Anzac".
Ka utaina atu te waru mano o ngā tāra hei pupuri tūturu i ngā tūru rererangi, whoi anō ka tāea te whakapiki i te wāriu o te pūhera engari he tekau mā rua mano te nama. He inihua mate urutā motuhake hoki tā rātou kai hoki mai tēnā ngārara heahea.
He tauhou a Sian ki te hakoke, kāre anō ia kia takahia te poho o Ranginui he mate noho whakapiritahatata hoki tāna, engari hai tāna ka ekea te tau 2023 kua noa ngā tangata ki ngā whakawhiu a te mate urutā nei.
Ko te wairua o ōna tupuna kai tōna ngākau hai aha māna te taurāwhi." Ko taku haerenga a rererangi tuatahi rawa he tekau mā ono hāora mā te ātea nui o Rangi nā wai rā ka ū ki Tupai".
He pakeke kau a Sian ki ngā atapō karakia o Anzac ka whakahaerehia motuhakengia a Te Ure o Uenukukopako āna ake kaupapa whakamana i ngā hōia ki Ruamata, ki Pikirangi ki Ōwhata hoki.
Ka tīmatangia hoki te whakanui i te Rangaawatea i ngā tau e rima kua pahemo atu tahi me te taunga rererangi o Rotorua.
I utua kētia tēnei whakahaerenga e te mate urutā, ko tōna tikanga kua whakarewangia kētia inanahi ā te hāora tekau mā tahi, ā te rā tekau mā tahi, ā te mārama tekau mā tahi, koa tēnei te tohu whakamutunga o te pakanga tuatahi o te ao.
Te moumou hoki, nā te mea kua oti kē te whakahoungia ngā whare wehenga o te taunga rererangi, kai reira hoki ētehi whakaahua whakamiharo hoki e whakanui ana ngā pou urungi tekau mā tahi nō Te Ure o Uenukukopako.
"Kātahi nei ahau ka kite kau i a rātou mō te wā tuatahi i te rārua kua pahemo atu – ka tangi ahau, me tae katoa ngā tangata ki te noho tahi i a rātou". Nā tana ruku atu ki tana whakapapa i toko ake ai te whakaaro kia takahia te ara ki a rātou."
Te huhua o te tangata i haere ki Karipori, ki Awherika, ki Ihipa me te noa atu o ngā whenua.
"Ka nui taku hiahia kia haere atu ki a rātou, kia rongo i te whenua kia kite hoki i ngā urupā – te tawhiti hoki i te hau kāinga, i wāuna hoki. " He nanakia rawa te roa – nā wai ka mātau ake ai te hinengaro, ha tino ata tonu nei te kōtahi rau tau ki ahau".
Kāre e tino roa ana te kōtahi rau tau hei tā Sian he waimarie nōna i noho tata ia me tōna kuia a Rongomaipapa Kokiri/Taikato mo te roanga o tōna oranga. Nō te Akuwhata nei nā mate atu ai tēnā kuia he 103 tōna pakeke. Ko te whakapenapena i ngā pūtea mā tēnei wahine māia e ngāwari ai i te aroha momona o te hāpori huri noa te roto moana nei".
Rongo kau ana ngā taringa o te hāpori i te kaupapa nei, ka tū mai e rima tekau ngā AP mō ngā marama e iwa hai tautoko i ngā rāwhara , ngā lotto drops, battens up me te wharewhare hoki.
"E rua ngā tino kaupapa nui whakapena moni i mua i te paunga o tēnei kaupeka, ā, kua pau katoa ngā tīkiti".
Ko te whakapakanga o te pahi rua tekau ma rima te rahi, he rua tekau mā whā tōna pakeke ko te pakeke rawa atu he waru tekau tōna pakeke. Kī katoa te whatumanawa i te hākoakoanga o Sian he mōhio hoki nōna ka tere pau te taimā.
He tekau mā ono ngā mārama ki te whakarite i a ia mō tētehi haerenga whakamiharo katoa o tōna oranga.
He lost an arm and a leg in a crash that killed three friends.