By Rev Wayne Te Kaawa
In the 1920s, a young John Laughton was on his way to Rotorua on horseback from Maungapohatu. On the way, he saw a flag flying at the marae in Kawerau. He immediately knew it signaled that someone had passed away and so stopped to pay his respects to the local iwi. In Maungapohatu, John Laughton closely associated with the Iharaira prophet and leader Rua Kenana; now he was about to make the acquaintance of Ringatu bishop Eru Tumutara, described as the greatest Maori religious leader of his time.
A covenant was made that day between the two men. Eru Tumutara gave land and his children to the Presbyterian Church to be taught “the wisdom of this world and the wisdom of God”. In 1929, the great missionary Mrs Gorrie moved at her own expense to Kawerau and began teaching at the local marae. She founded the Kawerau Maori Mission School, which lasted for 30 years until 1959, when changes in government policy and the establishment of the Tasman mill combined to force its closure. More than 150 children, spanning two generations of the Ngati Tuwharetoa iwi in Kawerau, received an education from the Presbyterian Church.
On 27 and 28 November 2004, that history was remembered and celebrated in the tiny settlement of Onepu, previously named Kawerau. About 200 people gathered to mark the 75th Anniversary of the Presbyterian church and school. Many students have passed away but those who came were eager to tell their stories. People traveled from Ruatahuna, Waimana, Heretaunga, Te Whanga nui a Tara and Tamaki makaurau. Also in attendance was Dr Kathie Irwin, granddaughter of John and Horiana Laughton.
On the Saturday at Te Ahiinanga Marae in Onepu, stories were shared about school days, Sunday school, Bible classes, school trips and events, the Temperance movement, the League of Mothers, the ministers, deaconess and teachers. Old school songs were remembered and sung, and plays, including skits of former teachers, were re-enacted. The names of Mrs Gorrie, Sister Hazel Bruce and Jean Milroy will long be intertwined with the history of the local iwi and church of Onepu.
Restoration of the old school house began in September (see story on page 17) with landscaping but soon more workers arrived. Local Maori land trusts started donating money, while others gave food, money, tools, shrubs and flowers.
Eventually the team of workers grew to 20, ranging between the ages of 10 and 67. “This was the church alive and moving in the life of the iwi and wider community,” says Mervyn Hoete. “God has a vision and a plan for us and we are slowly starting to realise it,” says Tumihitai Raerino. Of the workers, five gave themselves to the service and mission of the church by becoming ordained elders of the parish, while four became confirmed members.
On the Sunday, a celebration service was held and the church, Te Poutama, was overflowing with people. The service included 45 baptisms, four confirmations, six ordinations, holy communion and concluded with the rededication of the old school. The name chosen, Te Ohaki, can be translated as “the covenant”. Te Ohaki signifies the original agreement between John Laughton and Eru Tumutara. It also alludes to the land and the people being bound together as one in the church. The day was brought to a close with a justly deserved hakari (feast).
TVNZ sent a crew from the Maori language programme Waka Huia, with a one-hour programme expected to screen in March 2005.
By Rev Wayne Te Kaawa
For four boys aged between 10 and 15, their day would begin at 7am every morning. After a full day at school, they returned home by bus at 4pm, changed into their work clothes and began restoring the old school house. Work would finish somewhere between 9pm and 10pm, when dinner and then homework would commence. That was from Monday to Friday; the weekends were even longer.
The four boys, Michael Woodmas (15) Abraham Woodmas (12) Ihaia Pari (15) and Manaia Hunia (10) form the core of the Putauaki Maori Pastorate youth group. For the best part of 2004, they worked alongside their grandparents, aunties, uncles and cousins towards the 75th anniversary of their church in Onepu.
So what did they do? Landscaping, lawn mowing, re-roofing, plastering, painting, water blasting, sanding, repairing and restoring, pruning trees, building, renovating, hammering nails, carting and burning rubbish, replacing weather boards and ceiling boards, digging foundations for piles, babysitting, nannysitting, making cups of tea, doing dishes, playing basketball and touch rugby and above all trying to look cool even if it meant falling off a ladder (pride dictated that you had to look cool falling off the ladder with your hood on).
So why did they give so much? “It’s our history, our heritage,” they said, “the place where our grandparents and great grandparents grew up but now it’s a place for us. In years to come, we can say to our children and grandchildren, ‘see that building, the old school house, “Te Ohaki”, we did that,’ but for now it’s our youth group room.” It also provided an opportunity for the group to work with the “oldies”, learning new skills and a trade. A real highlight was finding their late grandmother’s Catechetic study book from 1953, when she was a student there.
On 28 November, Michael Woodmas, along with his three older cousins Rangimarie Te Kaawa, Millena Chapman and Lewis Brell, took the step and became confirmed members. “We didn’t wait to be asked, we initiated our own confirmation,” says Michael. While Michael and his cousins were confirmed, the other three boys carried on working. “We had a hangi to prepare,” said Manaia, Abraham and Ihaia. “We couldn’t afford to chill out on this day of all days: we still had work to do.”