He mea whakatū te Hokowhitu-a-Tū 28 i te tau 1939 i te wā i tū ai te pakanga i Ūropi. Nā Tā Apirana Ngata te Kāwanatanga o Aotearoa i akiaki kia whakaritea tētehi ope tauā Māori.
I tauwehea te ope nui o Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū ki ngā kamupene e whā i te āhua o te wāhi i ahu mai ai ngā hōia. Ko Kamupene B ngā uri i ahu ai i Rotorua, i Taupō, i Te Waiariki me Pare Hauraki.
I whakaeke tuatahi atu Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū ki te kauhanga o te riri i Kirihi me Kiriti i te tau 1941. I whakawāteahia rātau i Kiriti i te marama o Mei, ā, 140 ngā hōia o Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū i mate.
Ka whawhai tonu ngā toa o Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū i Minquar Quaim, i Awhirika ki te Tonga i te marama o Hune, i El Alamein hoki i te marama o Oketopa, i te tau 1942.
I te marama o Mei, i te tau 1943, i whai wāhi Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū ki te kauhanga riri i te kōkiritanga o Takrouna, he tara toka, e rua rau mita te teitei i te koraha o Tunisia. Ko Haihana Iti Haane Mānahi tētehi i whawhai mō te hemo tonu atu i taua pakanga i whakawhiwhia ai ia ki te Tohu Toanga Ahurei (DCM) ahakoa tonu ngā whakaaro o ētehi atu kia whakawhiwhia kēhia ia ki te Rīpeka Wikitōria (VC).
E rua tau Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū e whawhai ana ki ngā ope Tiamana i Itari mai i te marama o Hepetema o te tau 1943 ki te mutunga rā anō o te pakanga nui i te 2 o Mei, 1945.
I hoki anō Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū ki Pōneke i te 23 o Hanuere, i te tau 1946, ā, mā runga tereina rātau i tae atu ai ki ō rātau marae huri noa.
Ahakoa kua ea te wāhi ki te Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū, ka ora tonu ia i ngā kōrero. Ko te nuinga o ngā mate o ngā ope katoa o Ngāti Tūmatauenga o Aotearoa, ko ērā o Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū.
3578 ngā toa o Te Hokowhitu-a-Tū 28 i te pakanga rā i tū ai i te tau 1940 ki te tau 1945, 649 i mate i te kauhanga o te riri, otirā, kotahi toa ki ngā toa tokoono.
Qualities: identity, diligence
Here’s a tip:
There are lots of books and resources about this topic available at Rotorua Library.
Search their online catalogue for ‘28 Māori Battalion’ to find out what they have to choose from.
More to watch:
Short film by Taika Waititi about six Māori Battalion solders: https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/tama-tu-2004
https://www.nzonscreen.com/title/maori-battalion---march-to-victory-1990
More to read:
https://28maoribattalion.org.nz/
https://teara.govt.nz/en/nga-pakanga-ki-tawahi-maori-and-overseas-wars/page-5
http://www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz/visit-us/cinema-experiences/haane-manahi/
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/maori-in-second-world-war
More to listen to:
https://teara.govt.nz/en/speech/36695/maori-battalion-march-to-victory
This entry is related to these other entries:
The entry is related to these other entries: Recognising Haane Manahi; Spirit of Te Makawe
Sources:
Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa