QSM for decades of voluntary service

Eru Kaiwai from Tolaga Bay receives the Queen’s Service Medal in the New Year Honours for more than 60 years service to his community in a wide range of organisations. He has paid tribute to the part his wife Elaine has played in his community service journey. Picture by Liam Clayton

Tolaga Bay firefighter and Civil Defence volunteer, marae kaumatua, radio station founder and funeral and wedding celebrant Eruera (Eru) Kaiwai receives the Queen’s Service Medal in the New Year Honours list.

He receives the award for services to the community.

Mr Kaiwai (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti), aged 83, has been contributing to the Tolaga Bay community since the 1950s.

“I thought it a privilege to receive the award and I am of course humbled to receive it,” he said.

“It’s been a long time being involved in a wide range of organisations.”

He has been a volunteer with the Tolaga Bay Fire Brigade since 1957, and is the oldest living member.

Mr Kaiwai was a member of the Tolaga Bay Civil Defence between 1985 and 1990, and that included Cyclone Bola when it struck in 1988.

He is kaumatua of Puketawai Marae and served as treasurer between 1959 and 1965, has been a member of the Korowai Aroha Committee since 1992 and has been a celebrant for tangihanga, unveilings, burials and hui since 2005.

He helped establish Radio Ngāti Porou, serving as the first live broadcaster and sports reporter and was a radio operator of Tolaga Bay Search and Rescue between 1985 and 2010.

Mr Kaiwai was a trustee of the Tolaga Bay Area School between 1997 and 2013 and serves as the current chair of the Tolaga Bay Golden Oldies.

He was chair of the 28 Māori Battalion  Tolaga Bay branch from 1970 to 2013, and of the Ōkuri Marae and the Harata Kirimana Land Trust.

Mr Kaiwai received a Gisborne District Council Civic Award in 2000.

He said “it took some doing” to contribute what he has to his community over the many years.

“But I got a lot of help — you couldn’t do it on your own.

“People wanted to help out on a lot of the communities I was part of.”

He has thanked those people and also his wife Elaine.

“My wife has had to put up with a lot, and I really appreciate her support.”