January 12, 2022
Tama Tū, Tama Ora, Tama Noho, Tama Mate! Tamatoa!
The 50th anniversary of Ngā Tamatoa (Young Warriors) will reunite a total of 50 living members at an event hosted by the iwi of Tauranga Moana this weekend.
‘Ngā Tamatoa 50+ years – Members Reunion’ will honour the movement of Māori youth who played an important role in revitalising the Māori language, taking action to push boundaries and challenge a system and its inherent racism.
A presentation acknowledging their contributions to te ao Māori, Te Rā Whakamānawa i a Ngā Tamatoa, will take place at the Baycourt Addison Theatre in Tauranga on Saturday 15 January from 9.30am.
Later that afternoon, Ngā Tamatoa members will share their personal stories and experiences at a series of educational panel discussions being held at the local campus of the University of Waikato.
Co-founder of the Tāmaki Makaurau branch, Taura Eruera, says the injustices that they experienced as tamariki in their daily lives – being raised in the recurring mamae and āwangawanga of their kuia and koroua – left them feeling helpless.
“When we became youth, the helplessness became compulsion. We were now able to take action. As we all came together, it was the Māori Battalion moment of our generation! We continued that same legacy, that fighting spirit.”
Linda Mead-Smith was a foundation member.
“I joined Ngā Tamatoa because I couldn’t stand the racism, the erasure of our history as tangata whenua, the disrespect shown to our kaumātua, the denial of the treaty as the basis of governance and worse, the acceptance by many Māori that being second class on our whenua was our lot in life.
“Bugger that! It was unjust and just plain wrong. We needed to make change.”
Ted Nia from the Pōneke branch says the trouble with their generation was that they had no war – “our war was here with no bloody guns”.
Orewa Barrett–Ohia from the Waikato branch says they simply had had ‘enough’.
“Enough of seeing the injustices against Māori and seeing our people in a constant state of mourning. Watching as more and more land was alienated. It was time to make a stand.”
Tickets are available for both the morning and afternoon sessions from Ticketek. Limited edition clothing is also available from Ngā Tamatoa Merchandise Sales.
TE RĀ WHAKAMĀNAWA I A NGĀ TAMATOA
9.30am – 12.30pm: Baycourt Addison Theatre, Durham Street, Tauranga
NGĀ TAMATOA EDUCATION PANELS: Our Story
2.00pm – 4.30pm: The University of Waikato, Spring Street, Tauranga
Panel 1: “Ngā Tamatoa, The Beginning”
Toro Waaka, Taura Eruera, John Ohia, Linda Smith, Brya Taylor
Panel 2: “The Treaty is a Fraud”
Tame Iti, Larry Parr, Rīpeka Evans, Donna Awatere
Panel 3: “From Protest to Social Action”
Orewa Barrett-Ohia, Kura Te Waru-Rewiri, Josie Keelan, Hone Harawira, Ngahuia Te Awekotuku
Panel 4 “The Petition”
Rāmari Te Hemara Maipi, Taitimu Maipi, Mana Cracknel, Hilda Harawira, Toro Waaka