Matene Waetford – te hīkoi mā Kaikohe

Ngā tuhituhinga

I te mutunga o te Pakanga Tuarua, hokihoki atu ai ngā hōia a te Rōpū Rua Tekau Mā Waru ki ō rātou kāinga.

Ka waihape a Tā Hemi Henare me ngā hōia o te Ngohi A ki Te Tai Tokerau. Ka hoki ngā mahara o Matene Waetford ki te rā i hīkoi ai rātou i te huarahi matua ki Kaikohe.

Tērā mea i tērā wā i tāku titiro, ahakoa pai te whakaaro o te iwi, ko tāku kē, he aha kē tō mātou take i whakahaeretia atu mā reira, kia tae atu ki te tāone ka huri iho noa tae noa mai ki te marae. Huri atu ki taku matua ki a Hemi, mea atu au ki a Hemi, e te matua, mahi kinotia tātou e te Pākehā. I te aha, mea atu au ko tātou he mea hei tiaki noa, he mea titiro noa iho nā rātou. Kia kite ai rātou he aha kē ngā mea e haere ake nei. Horekau au e whakaae ana. Te huri mai taku matua ka kōrero mai ki a au, e te tamaiti horekau ko koe anake te mea, o ngā mea e haere nei. Haere ana tātou i raro i te rangatiratanga. Kaua tātou e pōhēhē, ka tae tātou ki te pakanga, horekau ō tātou aroha ki te iwi ki te kāinga. Wērā mea pakeke ana ki a au, i te mea e tika ana ngā kōrero a te kaumātua. I couldn’t help myself I said to him, “We are not showpieces”. Ko ērā taku korero atu ki taku matua. Engari tana pai, te tangata mōhio ki te kōrero, pai noa te whāriki mai i te kōrero, engari ka puritia me te rikarika ana.