Rihipeti Hinerangi Reid - Tupuna &Teina

Betty has been many times blessed. Born into an incredibly rich heritage. Her family though not materially wealthy were spiritually, Affluent. They were Deeply Devout and at the same time fun-loving, sporty and roguishly devilish, playful, teasing, and cheeky. The following profound quote comes from one of her favourites, "uncle Matu". Sir Kingi Matutaera Ihaka. renowned throughout Maoridom for a lifetime of service, and a servant of God.

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something.

What I can do I ought to do, and what I ought to do by the Grace of God I will do!

One smile to start a friendship, one kind word to make someone's day.

One step to begin a journey, one voice to speak up for what is right, and one life to make a difference.

Let's all make a positive difference in the lives of people we meet. And of course, you can do it.”

Snippets of Memories written by Betty sometime ago

Te Paea Nēpia Īhaka

of Te Rarawa

Eru Tīmoko Īhaka

of Te Riumākutu hapū of Te Aupōuri

Tena koutou katoa nga whanau, nga whanaunga, me nga hoa tata. Kua tae mai nei ki te whakahonore i o tatou matua tupuna kua riro ki te po. I am Rihipeti Hinerangi better known as Betty, born on 8th May, 1932, and I have snippets of memories to share with you all.

My parents are Thomas Houston Walters, better known as Tawe of Ahipara-Te Rarawa; and Maki Rehi Ihaka of Te Kao-Te Aupouri. What I remember of my maternal grandfather, Eru Ihaka is of us strolling towards this white man that I eyed with fear and my grandfather saying in his gentle voice, “Don’t be afraid of him. He is a good Pakeha. He is Mr. Hughes.” My mother must have been visiting her family in Te Kao at that time. We lived in Ahipara on land which my father farmed at Wainui. A stream flowed through the paddocks and beside this stream stood a Taraire tree.

Makirehi Ihaka Walters

Tawe (Thomas) Houston Walters

One morning while Dad was at the cow-shed, Muru, Moana and I decided to get some Taraire berries. In our efforts Moana fell into the water and because neither Muru nor I could swim, we started screaming for help. Luckily Dad heard our screams, ran down from the shed and jumped into the creak, fully clothed, gumboots and all, and rescued his daughter. As for we two – Mum gave us a good spanking.

I can remember the day when Mum received the sad news of her beloved father’s death. She thrashed around on the ground and screamed and wailed like one demented.

Not long after Papa Eru’s death, my maternal grandmother, Te Paea Ihaka , descended on us. “E Maki”, she addressed my mother, “E hapu ana koe i a tau, Maaku tenei e tiaki” and she took hold of me, “Kia watea ai koe ki te tiaki pai i to whanau.” And that is how I ended up in my Maama Paea’s care. I was going to live with my mother’s whanau, and get to know the wider Te Kao community – who were all inter-related anyway. Maama Paea and eldest daughter Aunty Sally lived in the family home at Te Repo, with Uncle Reewe and his wife Matire. Uncle Reewe, who farmed the land, was also a licensed lay-Reader of the local St Andrew’s church.

Other members of the family were: Rawhiti – who had one of the first cars in Te Kao, named “Centaurus”, served in World War II and was taken a prisoner of war in Germany along with his brother, Riki. Reweti – my favourite uncle- killed in action in World War II. Ngawaka – happy-go-lucky – but died in his prime, as a result of an accident, Toro – who helped Uncle Reewe on the farm after being educated at St.Stephen’s School, before looking for work;

Sir Kīngi Matutaera Īhaka (Known to the family as Matu)

Matu – when he came home for a holiday, cooked the most fabulous meals which I looked forward to; and lastly, Kura – the baby of the baby, who attended Turakina Girls College in Marton and when she was home, taught me to play the ukulele and the guitar.

Then, there were the married daughters who had their own homes in Te Kao, with the exception of Aunty Peti, married to Tom Bowling Murray, who resided in Ngataki. Aunty Take was married to Hemi Manuera, Aunty Jane was married to Sonny Witana and Mate’s husband was Hira Nathan, brother to Sonny Witana. Amongst other Community activities Maama Paea was a leader of the local “Mother’s Union” and usually she would leave me with either Aunty Take or Aunty Jane. I enjoyed these live-ins with my aunts because I was able to form close relationships with my cousins, Whena, Boo and Sanson Witana and Sonny-boy Manuera.

The early years at the Te Kao Native School were spent in getting to know the children some of whom were my first cousins, and familiarising myself with their language, which was “Maori”. This was the time when “Maori” wasn’t allowed to be spoken in the School environment, yet, even the threat of punishment by strapping did not deter these Te Kao children from breaking the rules. I couldn’t speak Maori but I understood a bit. As a result I was referred to as a “show-off”.

Our swimming hole was sited about a hundred yards from the school up the Awapoka stream nearby Farmer Waiari’s orchard. Farmer Waiari was wary of school children who helped themselves to the fruit in his orchard. Anyway, I was in Mr. Cumpsty’s class when he decided to take the class swimming. Most of the children swam in the nude or wore shorts, bloomers and singlets – bikinis amd swimming togs were unheard of. After twenty minutes of refreshing water-play and with Mr Cumpsty getting dressed on the bank there was a cry of, “Sir, Billy is drowning.” Without hesitation, the barely dressed Mr Cumpsty dived from the bank, got hold of the luckless Billy, laid him out on the ground and quickly applied resuscitation- all this to our wondering eyes – in one movement. Billy survived – and we all hero-worshipped Mr Cumpsty from that day.

There were times when the land at Te Repo was flooded so I was unable to go to school. The paddocks looked like a “sea of water”. How I looked forward to the school holidays. Maama Paea would accompany me on the “Cream Truck” from Te Kao to Waimanoni where we spent the night at the home of Reverend Henare Paraone. Then, the next day I boarded the bus which travelled from Awanui to Kaitaia, and finally to Ahipara where Mum and Dad and my siblings lived. I soon learnt that Maama Paea’s whanau were religious, musical, and sang like angels. They also had the knack of story-telling, particularly “ghost stories” which made ghosts and spirits of dead people, come alive for me.

I loved going to church, particularly because of the beautiful harmonious singing, usually led by Aunty Jane. I also loved going Sunday School where I learnt a lot of bible stories and songs like “Jesus bids us shine”. “Wide, wide a the ocean and “I am H.A.P.P.Y” under the tutelage of Mrs. Watt.

Maama Paea had one the best flower and vegetable gardens in Te Kao with heaps of watermelon and strawberry during Season and well laid-out paths amongst the manuka to her gardens. I would head straight for the strawberry patch after school and gorge myself.

In 1942, Mum and Dad bought their family of five children to Te Kao. There was Muru, Moana, Keere, Parla and Baby Noel. I was so excited. The following years saw my family form closer ties with their Te Kao relatives although it was obvious they missed their Ahipara connections. Five children were born in Te Kao, but the first, Winston, died in infancy, while June, Matiu, Peggy and Patana survived. Finally, I moved to live with my family, while Maama Paea and Aunty Sally went to live with Aunty Take.

In 1946, Mum in consultation with the Te Kao high school Principal, Mr. Boon, agreed to send me to Auckland Girls Grammar School, to “widen my horizons”. So 1947, Priscilla Wells, Whena Witana and I travelled to Auckland to complete our Secondary School education.

Whena and I boarded at the Maori Mission Hostel while Priscilla stayed at her brother’s home. During the school holidays, I would spend a few nights at Aunty Take’s as I wanted to spend time with Maama Paea. Another holiday saw me working as Ward’s maid at the Kaitaia Hospital where Maama Paea was now a patient. I was staying with my paternal grandmother, Maama Putiputi Waata (Walters) in Ahipara. She and Maama Paea were great friends and before Maama Paea returned to Te Kao after her hospitalisation she came to visit us.

That was the last time I saw my Maama Paea alive. I was still at Grammar in 1949, when I received news of her death. Whena and I were able to return to Te Kao for her tangi.

“Moe mai ra i to moenga roa

E toku karani Maama purutu

Moe mai i roto i te Ariki”.