In the footsteps of the Maori Battalion

They will never know the horrors of war experienced by their forebears, but 14 students from Kaitaia's Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Pukemiro are about to embark upon the journey of a lifetime to see where some of those long-ago battles were fought.

The inspiration for what must be one of the most ambitious school trips of all time was provided by students Trinity Makutu and Te Auparo Piripi, who were first and second respectively in the junior section of last year's Ngarimu VC 28th Maori Battalion memorial essay competition, a feat never before achieved by any school in the country.

To celebrate that accomplishment, the school, families and whanau have set out to raise the funds needed to undertake a commemoration tour of some of the places in England and Europe where the 28th Maori Battalion served and was stationed.

The first destination will be London, followed by Paris, Florence, Cassino, Naples and Rome.

Lead organiser Jesse Graham said the trip was being arranged through Hikoi Battalion Tours, which took groups to Europe three or four times a year. This would be the first time a Kaitaia kura had undertaken such a journey.

"Another unprecedented exploit for our school and community. Our kura maintains commitments to learning in Maori and English. An integral component at the heart of the kura is that our role is to prepare students for success in numeracy, literacy, work and success in the community, New Zealand and the world," Ms Graham said. "This journey will enable students to understand and view where many of their elders were wounded or fell in action.

"International field trips expose our students to life beyond New Zealand and support them in consolidating their own sense of identity as citizens of New Zealand. Similarly, the soldiers who enlisted for the two world wars did not realise how unique they were alongside other nations until they were far away from the comforts of home.

Distance from their home land contributed to the sense of camaraderie that was forged. Lifelong relationships were formed and memories shared throughout an entire lifetime.

While the decision to support Trinity and Te Auparo had been easy, the task of raising the funds was more demanding .

The decile one kura was part of a community where the unemployment rate was high, and where many families survived on very restricted incomes. While Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Pukemiro was renowned locally for raising "reasonable" sums for local trips, this was the first time its families had taken on such a huge task.

Each member of the 32-strong touring party had to find $7000, and the fundraising committee was exploring a range of options, locally and nationally, including individual sponsorship/grants, market stalls, food stalls, local events, raffles and socials.