Skip to main content
News —

Ka heke ngā roimata i te rongo kua hinga te tōtara nui o Te Wao Nui a Tāne. E tangi nei ki tēnei rangatira, ki a Tā Wira Gardiner. Koia tērā i whawhai kia ora ai te iwi Māori. Ka tuku mihi ki a ia me te tuku aroha ki tōnā whānau i tēnei wā.

Sir Harawira Tiri Gardiner – Tā Wira – was a soldier, public servant and writer. He was of Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao, Whakatōhea and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui descent.

Though Tā Wira was an important leader in the public sector, at different times holding significant roles as the founding director of the Waitangi Tribunal, first chief executive of Te Puni Kōkiri, acting chief executive of Oranga Tamariki, and chair of Te Papa Tongarewa, it was in his role as a researcher, writer and scholar that Manatū Taonga had a major connection with Tā Wira.

Neill Atkinson, Acting Deputy Chief Executive Delivery, reflects: “In 2015, we were fortunate to have Tā Wira agree to work alongside us to write the history of the soldiers of B Company of the 28 Māori Battalion. These soldiers came mainly from Te Arawa and the Mātaatua tribes but also included men from the Hauraki district. It is fair to say that it would have been hard to find someone so appropriate – a former soldier and a scholar with direct iwi links into B Company.  Tā Wira’s  history Ake Ake Kia Kaha E! Forever Brave! was launched at Te Papaiouru Marae at Ōhinemutu, Rotorua in April 2019. Tā Wira had also written earlier books on the  Māori Battalion, the “fiscal envelope” and haka.

“Tā Wira’s professionalism, dedication and commitment to upholding the mana of the Māori Battalion, especially the men of B Company, was exemplary. In more recent years he continued to pursue his love of history by researching the untold stories of Māori prisoners of war.”

E te rangatira, takoto, e moe, okioki rā.