Rotorua Daily Post letters to the editor: Māori Battalion haka heard on battlefield

Soldiers pay their respects at the tangi for Sir Robert "Bom" Gillies, the last surviving member of the Maori Battalion. Photo / Andrew Warner

OPINION

Sir Robert “Bom” Gillies – Godspeed to Cape Rēinga.

Protocol prevented other speakers from speaking at Sir Robert’s service. However, I wished to pass this on as told to me by a Māori soldier, Sergeant E.H. Mick Kenny QSM, who was at the target="_blank">Battle of El Alamein.

When the massive barrage went up in the early morning, Mick said he heard the haka from the Māori Battalion above the commotion of the cannon fire against Field Marshall Erwin Rommel’s army.

“It was awesome,” said Mick. He was later cut down by a German machine gun in Italy, with seven bullets across his stomach. Fortunately, six were removed, but one could not be taken out ... so he carried it the rest of his life. I have seen the X-ray.

Amazingly, he continued playing for the Wellington Rugby Club, of which we were both vice-presidents, and became the fullback in the New Zealand Māori rugby team.

In 1948, the team went to Australia. Mick scored 100 points taking the goal kicks.

In 1995, I wrote a citation to the Wellington Rugby Club’s 125th Jubilee for Mick. All the surviving Māori Battalion players and the ex-All Blacks in Rotorua signed it, as well as Grahame Hall, Sir Howard Morrison, Aunty Bea Yates, Commander of the Māori Battalion Lieutenant Colonel Sir Charles Bennett DSO, Para Bennett and Reverend Manu Bennett.

Mick wrote back in appreciation, crying and saluting when he received the citation. [Abridged]

Alan Lord,

Life Member New Zealand Rugby Union,

Life Member Rotorua Basketball,

Springfield

Treaty important to me

The Treaty of Waitangi is important to me. I need it. It is the foundation document of my country, being the first building block of more than a few that sets out the norms and rules that allow me, and all others, to live here.

Sadly, it is becoming a document of division as some from both sides of the political spectrum seek to make capital from it.

The Treaty is a raw document. It was written in haste, in four days back in 1840, because the French were coming ...

The constitution of the United States, written about the same time, has had 27 amendments. In contrast, ours remains untouched apart from the interpretation of some principles, written by pointy-headed intellectuals and people in wigs and gowns ...

Sovereignty gives the right to make laws and gather taxes. Under which flag will this happen? A treaty cannot exist in order to allow self-determination ideals alone ...

The real problem is that the majority of us have only been able to listen to words, words from intellectuals, judges and, I have to say, some in Māoridom, which has led to a big pool of misunderstanding. And from misunderstanding grows fear, and fear causes division.

We need education on the effects of the Treaty, not just its wordy principles. With full understanding will come full acceptance.

I hope that this will happen soon, because I need it. [Abridged]

John Pakes,

Ngongotahā

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