Te Puea by Michael King

Author:Michael King [King, Micheal]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781742539683
Publisher: Penguin Random House New Zealand
Published: 2013-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

11

A River Culture

The most dramatic event at Te Rata’s tangi in October 1933 had been the collapse at the King’s graveside of Harry Holland, leader of the Opposition Labour Party.a Holland, unwell, had been warned by Apirana Ngata not to climb Taupiri Mountain for the burial ceremonies on 8 October. His death in these circumstances was regarded by Waikato elders as a payment that would ensure victory for Labour at the next general election.1

The immediate result, however, was the first intimate contact between Te Puea and members of the Labour Party caucus (she had met Peter Fraser in 1929). Holland’s body rested in state for a time on Waahi Marae, where Te Rata’s had lain hours before. Then Te Puea, Tumokai, Haunui, Te Rauangaanga, Pei Jones and a group of elders took the coffin to Wellington for delivery to Holland’s parliamentary colleagues. This gesture did not imply political partisanship; if Te Puea’s loyalties were committed in any direction it was with Coates’ Reform and Ngata’s United Parties, because of her special relationship with those men. It was simply a Maori duty that Waikato would have performed for any national leader in the same circumstances.

The Labour Party was greatly moved and presented the Waikato delegation with a letter that read (in part): ‘We, the Central Executive and Members of Parliament of the New Zealand Labour Party … have learned with great pride and satisfaction of the wonderful demonstration of sorrow and lamentation which your people manifested at Waahi Pa … The taking of [our leader] to your hearts … has filled us with admiration and humility … the classic farewell has stirred the hearts and souls of our people, and will remain for ever with us … Your mourning … [has] cemented our friendship, and as time runs through the years our regard and respect for your great people will grow and intensify.’2 Te Puea kept the letter and took its message literally.

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