SATURDAY, JUNE 5, 2021 A century to celebrate OVERFLOW: Spectators were known to scale the roof of Whakarua Park’s grandstand to watch the game when space ran out. Here top Ngati Porou East Coast try-scorer Jimmy Kururangi (24 tries) kicks off in their 1986 encounter against the New Zealand Maori, where they lost 54-9. With this weekend’s centenary celebrations for Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union in mind, reporter Jack Malcolm looked at the past, present and future of the union’s fabled home ground, Whakarua Park in Ruatoria. nother chapter in the history of Native Purposes Act. hui that marked the completion of the hall Victoria Cross, until Willie Apiata in 2007. Ruatoria’s Whakarua Park will be Sir Apirana Ngata led construction of included a reunion of ex-servicemen, an is weekend the hall will be rededicated written today when it plays host to Uepohatu Marae at the park with the investiture ceremony, a haka competition, a to those who lost their lives fi ghting for their ANgati Porou East Coast’s centenary support of Arthur William Kirk, Hone Rire, concert, and rugby matches. country, said Whakarua Park Trust chairman celebrations. Hori Kaiwai, Pine Tamahori and Wi Tawaho. e building’s conventional exterior belies David Goldsmith. e park has served as a home ground for Uepōhatu was built as a memorial to the two its rich carved, tukutuku-panelled interior. “It’s timely to remind ourselves of the NPEC since it split from the Poverty Bay world wars, to honour soldiers from the East e carvings are by master craftsmen Pine sacrifi ce those people made for us all those Rugby Football Union in 1922. Coast who had given their lives. Taiapa and Rua Kaika. e commemorative years ago.” e 6.35ha Whakarua Park was established Governor-General Sir Bernard Freyberg tablets and tukutuku panels include one He said the condition of the hall had through court order by Judge Harold Carr formally opened Uepōhatu on September honouring Te Moana-nui-a-kiwa Ngārimu, started to deteriorate and the trust had made in Ruatoria on October 26, 1928, under the 13, 1947. Other events during the two-day the fi rst Māori soldier to be awarded the Continued on page 2 You have probably heard it before – “It’s my life, my funeral.” So shouldn’t you have some say in it? A “goodbye” doesn’t have to be a fuss, doesn’t have to be big, it just needs to be meaningful. Covid-19 has highlighted the importance and value of a meaningful goodbye. Give us a call to discuss livestreaming and virtual funerals where your loved ones can participate in your farewell from abroad. Start the conversation — talk about your ideas and wishes with family and give yourselves the gift of peace of mind. Goodbye is as important as hello. A meaningful Evans Funeral Services Ltd Ph 06 867 9150 Fax 06 868 5312 funeral supports healthy grieving. 171 Ormond Road, Gisborne Email offi [email protected] 33889-01 2 THE GISBORNE HERALD LEAD Looking forward to ‘future memories’ VICTORY: Hikurangi supporters perform a haka for their side in 2011, Whakarua Park grandstand and Uepōhatu in the background, after they won the local club competition over Uawa. Picture by Paul Rickard HIGH HOPES: A cheeky East Coast supporter ADORNED: The conventional exterior of the Uepōhatu Memorial Hall belies the interior with its beautiful carvings and changed the scoreboard to read 80-17 in the 2003 tukutuku panels recognising and remembering, among others, Rutu Manutawhiorangi and Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, clash against Manawatu. The game finished 8-17. the only Maori to be awarded the Victoria Cross until Willie Apiata, who received his in 2007. Picture supplied Picture by Paul Rickard From page 1 The process requires “the patience of build an indoor sporting facility. final resurgence, where NPEC came back Job”. The indoor facility would be a “significant from a 22-point deficit in the last 20 a significant effort to restore the building Goldsmith said all the parking areas and development for the East Coast” and will minutes to win the game, to their first to its former glory. access have been resealed and a fence has have four courts, he said. home win, 3-0 against Taranaki in 1929. “Those people up there were looking been installed around the perimeter of the “As a youngster. we grew up across While the 1929 game was “not exciting down on us thinking ‘come on, did we go park to match the work that’s been done to from the park and when we were growing and somewhat slow” according to The New overseas for nothing?’.” the interior. The park now “looks a picture”. up every Saturday, there wasn’t a spare Zealand Herald reporter at the scene, it The rededication will be performed by the While the trust has “completely” blade of grass. was the start of a proud history for Ngati head of the Maori Anglican Church and renovated the building from the ground “I remember fondly that place full of Porou East Coast. Primate and Archbishop of New Zealand, up, their plans for the park are just getting people. we want to have it set up and One of the biggest games played on the Most Reverend Donald Tamihere. started, he said. people just come and everything’s there.” Whakarua Park was the 2001 semi-final The bill for the repairs and renovation As one of the four areas designated by Goldsmith, who has sat on the trust’s against Nelson Bays. The record crowd totalled over $1m and the trust had to the Sports Hub Plan, Ruatoria park is board for the past 50 years, said things of 6000 sang the famous 28th Maori fundraise to cover the costs. slated to be the sporting hub for the East were now in place for the facility to become Battalion Marching Song, and Mano Flutey One of the biggest jobs of the project Coast. a reality and he is excited to see future scored all of his team’s points, with seven was restoring the tukutuku panels, with Goldsmith said the trust has plans to memories made on the park. penalties, to win the game 21-12 and local men and women having to learn the upgrade the grandstand, build a youth Whakarua Park has a rich history and send his team to the final against ancient art form, said Goldsmith. facility, improve irrigation and lighting and many stories, from the 2012 Meads Cup Hawke’s Bay. SatuRday, JuNE 5, 2021 3 PROFILE REPRESENTING HER STORY Reading books about mythology at a young age inspired East Coast- born Regina de Wolf- Ngarimu to travel the world and pursue writing SHARING STORIES: Regina de Wolf-Ngarimu came back to the East Coast nearly seven years ago. In as a hobby. She goes by that time she has published her first novel in a six- the pen-name R De Wolf. part series. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell Matai O’Connor met her to learn more about her life and why she loves to write. egina remembers always reading adventures in journals. “It was just a hobby.” this story. been reading Gaurdians of the Ancestors and every book about the Romans, But she always knew she wanted to be a “I’m passionate about women’s issues,” she enjoy the book. Greek, Maori and Norse mythology writer. says. “I’ve been the only woman in a board “I have men in the stories who are often Rthere was at Manutahi Primary “I ended up working on and off for the room.” very spiritual. Throughout the Pacific there School in Ruatoria. Youth Hostel Association. Almost by “No matter where you are, women are are strong, sensitive male characters with a lot “I was enamoured with the Greek mythology accident, I ended up in another job in sales doing amazing things but often it’s an uphill of mana. It’s a nod to the men who support I think that was my inspiration to go have a and marketing in Sydney. I enjoyed working battle for gender equality, respect, safety women in their drive for being whoever look at the world,” she said. in business there. I did a lot of writing in and all those kinds of issues. Through the they want to be. Sometimes that can be Regina, 54, said the first story she wrote was that job — contracts, training manuals, six- part series I am wrapping in some of drowned out by macho bravado which is often a “dramatic” play when she was 8 years old for communications, submissions — a lot of those thought-provoking issues to get people symptomatic of losing touch with spiritual a school Christmas concert in Ruatoria. “It really different stuff but still writing,” she said. to consider how we might approach things elements, and security of cultural identity. It’s was a drama that’s for sure.” Regina and her husband Ieme decided to differently. cool to capture male readers too,” Regina said. She thanks her teachers at Manutahi for come home to the East Coast to look after her “I hope with the characters I create, people Regina found out about a weekly writers’ being great teachers who inspired her to mum Lydia, at the end of 2014. might feel a little bit empowered to stand up workshop at Tairawhiti Tech Trust at the create. They do not have any children, but between and believe in themselves. That was the birth Kaiti Hub. She went along and met Polly and When she was 10 her whanau moved to the them they enjoy 17 nieces and nephews and of this series,” she said.