Te Awamutu’s most famous recognised on Walk of Fame

Te Awamutu Courier

16 Dec, 2022 12:00 AM8 mins to read

New Te Awamutu Walk of Fame inductee Heather Morris, the internationally bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, with Waipa Mayor Susan ORegan. BTG 15Dec22 - Above: New Te Awamutu Walk of Fame inductee, author Heather Morris (left), with Waipa Mayor Susan O'Regan. Photos / Kate Durie

Six new inductees into the Te Awamutu Walk of Fame unveiled their pou yesterday at a ceremony held at the Selwyn Park site.

The ceremony has been on hold during the pandemic, so the first of the new inductees is author Heather Morris, whose inclusion was announced in 2018. Heather travelled from Melbourne especially to attend the induction.

Also of note is the induction of the first father and son team, Brian and Shane Stannett, and while there are two other sets of brothers — the Finns and Tamakis — for the first time there are now two brothers inducted separately — John Nicholson joining his brother Andrew.

Also new to the Walk of Fame are Jason Wynyard and Dr Michael Williams.

Te Awamutu Walk of Fame was an initiative of Te Awamutu Alive around the turn of the century. The first inductees were Tim and Neil Finn.

The physical Walk of Fame was opened by Kingi Tuheitia in 2009 and the aim is to recognise and celebrate local identities who achieve world recognition in their fields.

Including the six new inductees, Te Awamutu Walk of Fame honours 34 prominent individuals.

Waipā Mayor Susan O’Regan welcomed VIPs and guests and, most importantly, congratulated and welcomed those being honoured and inducted for their incredible contribution to Te Awamutu, to Waipā, to New Zealand - and beyond.

“You are world citizens, but to us, you are real-life Waipā heroes and role models,” she said.

“We are grateful and proud-as-can-be, to claim you as our own.

“The six people here today are the first new inductees in the Te Awamutu Walk of Fame since 2017.

“That has very personal significance for me,” said Susan – and apologised in advance in case she became emotional.

Susan’s mother Katherine O’Regan was honoured with her induction that year.

“Mum’s induction was brought forward because she was very unwell, and has since died,” said Susan.

“I know what it took for my mother to achieve what she did. It took enormous commitment and sacrifice, not just borne by her, but by her family.”

She said that was why she was delighted to see family members attending and getting their share of some hard-earned ‘star-dust’.

“It is your support which has helped those who you love to achieve.”

Susan said while you never get over losing your mother, it gives her comfort to come here and to bring her children, to remember mum.

“She was truly honoured to be part of the Te Awamutu Walk of Fame and I know you are too.”

Susan concluded by thanking members of staff who put the induction event together.

She also thanked those people who assessed the nominations and agreed, on our behalf, that these people should be honoured - former mayor Jim Mylchreest, councillor Clare St Pierre, Te Awamutu-Kihikihi Community Board chair Ange Holt, former community board member Richard Hurrell and Dean Taylor and Chris Bradley who always have, and continue, to do so much for our community.

2022 Inductions:

Heather Morris; read by Walk of Fame committee member and nominator Dean Taylor.

Heather Morris is the internationally bestselling author of The Tattooist of Auschwitz, an historic novel based on interviews with Lale Sokolov, who met his wife Gita when both were held captive at Auschwitz. The couple found each other after the war and emigrated to Melbourne, where Heather lives.

Heather (nee Williamson) grew up in Pirongia and attended Pirongia School and Te Awamutu College. When she was 18 she headed to Australia, where she met her husband and raised a family. Heather worked in social services within the medical profession - mostly at the Monash Medical Centre.

After hearing Lale’s story, she was inspired to write her first book. At the time of induction she has written three more books – Cilka’s Journey based on Gita’s friend in Auschwitz and subsequent life, Three Sisters, based on sisters Cibi, Magda and Livia Meller who were prisoners with Lale and Gita and also survived, and In Stories of Hope, a non-fiction title full of stories from growing up in Pirongia, plus The Tattooist of Auschwitz is being made into a six-part mini-series.

Michael Williams. Photo / Charles Brooks

Dr Michael Williams; read by brother-in-law and nominator Shane Walsh.

Dr Michael Williams is a well-known figure in New Zealand composition. He has received commissions from most of the country’s major musical institutions; including the NZSO, NBR New Zealand Opera and Chamber Music New Zealand. His music is regularly broadcast on Radio New Zealand Concert and is in demand both nationally and internationally.

Michael grew up in Te Awamutu where he attended St Patrick’s school and later Te Awamutu College. He travelled for a number of years before moving to Melbourne where he attended the Conservatorium of Music as a piano performance student. He lived in Melbourne for around 15 years where he worked as a pianist, teacher and composer.

Michael returned to New Zealand in 1998 to study a master’s degree in composition at the University of Waikato. In 2000 he was appointed as a lecturer in the Music Department at Waikato University where he continues to work. He gained his PhD through Melbourne University in 2015 and he is now an associate professor.

Michael’s success as an international composer has gone from strength to strength and his national and international reputation has grown. Michael is the first New Zealand composer to have an opera, The Juniper Passion, performed in Italy to critical acclaim.

Jason Wynyard; read by Stihl Shop Te Awamutu owner Matt Hird, who has a long association with Jason.

Born in Te Awamutu, Jason Wynyard MNZM is a champion woodchopper who has won over 200 world titles in the sport. He is of Māori ancestry and relates to Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāpuhi iwi.

Jason has won the Stihl Timbersports world championship nine times, the USA Stihl Timbersports series 10 times and the Lumberjack World Championship 16 times consecutively. He is also the current holder of five world records.

In the 2017 New Year Honours, Jason was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the sport of woodchopping.

John Nicholson; read by Walk of Fame committee member and nominator Richard Hurrell.

Kihikihi resident John Nicholson was one of the top four cross-country designers in the world.

John started as the cross-country course designer for the Kihikihi International Horse Trials, which saw his reputation expand worldwide, and led to him designing tracks all around the globe.

John was a member of the World Equestrian Federation (FEI) and has been contracted to design the cross-country courses for two Asian Games in South Korea and Indonesia (the Asian Games are the third biggest event in the world behind the Olympics and the Soccer World Cup).

During his career, John would spend up to three months a year overseas passing on his knowledge of course designing to participants in Europe, Asia and South and North America.

Brian Stannett and Shane Stannett; read by Wrestling NZ president and long-time friend Marlene Pouri-Lane.

Brian: Originally from Derby in England, Brian Stannett arrived in New Zealand in 1954 and came to Te Awamutu, which has been his home ever since. Brian joined the Te Awamutu YMI Wrestling Club in 1955 and that was the start of his long history with Olympic Freestyle Wrestling.

For over 50 years, Brian has competed internationally as a New Zealand team member, team manager, coach, official and referee including many World Senior Championships, Commonwealth Games and Oceania Championships across the world.

Brian was awarded a Diploma of Honour by the International Federation for services to wrestling in 2004 and became a life member of the New Zealand Olympic Wrestling Union (NZOWU) in 2005. He was made a life member of the NZOWU’s Officials Panel in 2016 and in 2018 Brian was awarded a national honour and became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Shane: Born in Te Awamutu, Shane Stannett went to Te Awamutu College and became a member of the school’s wrestling team and the Te Awamutu YMI Wrestling Club. He represented the college at the National Schools Wrestling Championships and went on to become the Waikato, North Island and National Junior/Senior Champion at 52kg.

Between 1982-1994 Shane competed in Olympic Freestyle Wrestling throughout the world, including several Commonwealth Games, Oceania Championships, World Championships and the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992.

Shane was inducted into the Te Awamutu College Hall of Fame in 2016.