Chapter 2 - Norman

Norman Mclean Beazley

I am proud to have lived in a place called Pakotai, 15-20 miles from Whangarei.

My parents, Norman and May Beazley, had a family of eight girls of which there were two sets of twins. Deceased are my twin Isabella and another called Eliza.

I can remember living in places like Parahaki - at Dysarts where Dad used to work on the farm; Opouteke Road, three miles from the junction and with Grandma and Grandpa at the Beazley homestead.

My first school I attended was on the Opouteke Road. I used to feed the birds everyday with my crumbs or when I felt like it I used to give them my whole lunch. We held many picnic days up at Ramsey's paddock and I won many races including egg and spoon and three-legged races. With the prizes for winning I ended up wtih several whistles, chocolates and skipping ropes for my whole family. Because of the weather and exhaustion we were allowed swims just below the picnic area, parents and all.

One day during my early years of marriage I mentioned to my Dad about memories of picnics and sports carnivals in Jack Allison's paddock and the public dunny block lining the front road fence and me, not seeing one before, wouldn't go into it for a mimi because it was blowing and the canvas sides would lift up and expose me to everybody. I remember Enoch Poa and a character with a long sword in a sideshow. Enoch would have a cigarette on his tongue and this other chappie would cut it in half. Hell, I used to be so scared I would look for Grandma and go home. Dad said I was only three years old, how can I remember?

Hellena and Pat used to milk our cows by hand, between 20-40 everyday before leaving for school and every evening. Turning our separator was by hand and we would take our hot yeast bread to the shed and have a good feed of cream. I found out later we weren't the only ones who took bread to the shed; there were people like Ihaia Tia, Tana and Pone Tia, Skinner Pickering, Ted Pou, Henry Downs, Walter Ratahi, Henry Api and Ben Api, the Ashbys, Kairaus and Bob Kelly and Co.

Mum and Dad had a vegetable garden all year round. The whole of Mangakahia had fresh new potatoes and corn for Xmas, green peas, beans and beetroot, all of these to people's amazement were attended to on a Sunday and were watered with sprinklers everyday hot or cold. There were also cupboards full of preserved fruit, pickles and jams - not forgetting the homebrew stashed away for parties that went from one day to two months sometimes.

We had our favourite animals, our horses Muddy, Rabbit, Lucy, Lankie and our working horses Darkie, Bess and Milly. Without these working horses we wouldn't have had such big gardens, or the wood for the fire. I learnt how to plough and steer the horses and sledge - a work of art I must say.

Between some of my primary days and college I stayed a lot with my Grandma, the most happiest days of my life, so much so that Aunty Susan was like my older sister and we did everything together. We played and had fun together, we used old plough pieces as our dolls in a house and had hours of fun. We never could afford a real doll.

However, I must say we never went to school without lunch or without shoes. My dad had a most unique way of measuring our shoes with a piece of string and tying knots for the lengths of my shoes and my sisters. One thing I want you to know is that my mum made my bras from flour bags with two shoulder straps that looked like haka boogie bodices - they made us look

so flat chested - I cried everytime I had to wear one.

We had a unique creek under our bridge and had a log where we dived under and taught us all how to be good swimmers. My poor son Mark, nearly drowned there at eighteen months - but Nana jumped in to save him. The rivers around our farm were good for crayfish and eels.

I have heaps more news but would like to mention the disappointment of my mother being buried in Maunu and not at Mangakahia - then later my father will follow her path beyond my wishes. It was their idea to bury our nephews in Hepara Pai - but unfortunately they are there and still have some others in our families close by.

My second disappointment is my late Uncle Bob who was drowned during the Bola Storm, the first one of Awhi and Ani Beazley family to pass on during the Reunion Year 1988. My blessing and prayers to my dear Aunty and her family, cheer up and we're looking forward to seeing you all at Omanaia. Kia Ora.

I met and married a gentleman whom some of you shall meet, his name being Winiata Morunga, who has been my inspiration and a wonderful husband and friend to me and my family of five, and thirteen mokopuna.

I was bridesmaid at Aunty Annie and Butler Morunga's wedding and met a handsome prince Winiata who was bestman - three years later we were married.

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Editorial Notes

• Although no accreditation is given to the author of this panui in the Reunion Book, the stories within it indicate it was Norman's daughter Caroline Doreen Morunga (nee Beazley)

• Not all of the pictures attached  have captions so any assistance with describing these would be appreciated (see contacts)

• Any corrections, additional information or pictures relevant to this whanau chapter or whakapapa can also be submitted

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Norman Chapter Attachments

(click images to enlarge)

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