Wednesday, December 11, 2013

I AM MY FATHERS SON

I AM an artist... I AM an author... I AM a student of whakapapa… 
I AM a keeper of the knowledge... I AM Tamanuhiri... I AM Maori... and I AM my fathers son... Today is my fathers birthday (Happy Birthday Dad R.I.P). I was born to tell the 
stories of our fore-fathers... THIS IS WHO I AM. I love to share what knowledge I have... I love to take people on a journey... through their own minds... into battle... into the ancient hangi pits... across the oceans of adventure... beyond the hearts of passion... and through the pages of time to see who we are... this is my fathers story...




My father Mataiata... was a carpenter, a shearer, a soldier. He fought in the Second World War


His father was
Te Huauri... a farmer & soldier… he fought in the First World War 


His father was
Mokiterangi... a significant land owner & a bushman up around Kopua. 


His father was
Eruera Pohatu... a prominent witness in the Maori Land Courts. 


His father was
Ihaka Ngarangioue... and he was born during the small-pox epidemic. 


His father was
Tuhene... a chief from Te Mahia.


His father was
Meke... who met Captain Cook and was given a bag of potato.


His father was
Te Rakato... a fighting chief of the Ngai Tahupo. 


His father was
Te Huki... the owner of a huge net that stretched the length of the coast. 


His father was
Tureia... a great priest & carver from Ngati Rakaipaaka. 


His father was
Tamatea-Ahirau... a fighting chief from Nuhaka. 


His father was
Tu Te Kanao... a fighting chief from Moumoukai. 


His father was
Kaukohea... who helped move his whanau from Turanga to Nuhaka. 


His father was
Rakaipaaka... who had a war over a dog. 


His father was
Kahukuranui... who had a great battle in Turanga.


His father was  
KAHUNGUNU... a very impressive 7 foot giant from the north. 


His father was
TAMATEA POKAI WHENUA... a great explorer of land and sea. 


His father was
RONGOKAKO... who he had a giant Kiwi as a pet... 


His father was
TAMATEA ARKINUI... captain of TAKITIMU WAKA 




These are the footprints of my forefathers... these are my footprints... and this is me... tenei au... tenei au... te hokai nei o taku tapuwae... ko te hokai nuku... ko te hokai rangi... MAURIORA

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