Kōrero na Witarina Harris

Rights Information
Reference
45495
Media type
Audio
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Rights Information
Reference
45495
Media type
Audio
Duration
00:30:00
Taonga Māori Collection
Yes
Credits
RNZ Collection
Harris, Witarina, 1906-2007, Speaker/Kaikōrero
te Ua, Henare, 1933-2007, Interviewer

Broadcaster Hēnare te Ua interviews early film actor and Te Arawa kuia Witarina Harris about her memories of her childhood in Ohinemutu, Rotorua and her life in Wellington working for Sir Apirana Ngata.

She tells the story of the first Christmas present she can remember receiving and going to church at Christmas to see the Nativity scene.

She recalls a huge amount of preparation her mother did preparing Christmas meals and cooking for visitors all Christmas week. It was tennis tournament time, which meant she was off playing tennis, rather than helping her mother. She says special foods like pork and roast beef, strawberries, fruit salad and steamed pudding all featured.

She talks about the part music played in her childhood. She would sing for tourists as a child, performing "penny hakas" and some of the games they would play such as marbles and spinning tops. Sometimes the children 'gambled' with the pennies they received, but if they were caught their parents were told and fined. She says this helped children realise their actions had an impact on their parents and their tribe, Ngāti Whakaue.

She says she was excited to go to Wellington to work but she became very homesick for her Māori life, surrounded by Pākēha faces. Witarina was a typist in Rotorua, and later became the personal typist of Sir Apirana Ngata. She says there were very few Māori working in Wellington at the time and Sir Apirana and his secretary Mr Balneavis were the only Māori she knew there.

She then recalls her time as his typist, and all the happy memories she had during her time in Wellington. She talks about the Māori atmosphere in his office and meeting other leaders such as Sir Maui and Lady Pōmare, who was patron of Ngāti Poneke Māori Club.

She talks about how Sir Apirana and Mr Love gave them the name Ngāti Pōneke. She explains how the club gave young Māori who had come from all over the country, a feeling of home. During the war years the club spent a lot of time entertaining the armed services, including the Americans. She says it was very busy time as they would have to go straight from work to performances. She says Lady Pōmare taught them how to behave with dignity in both the Māori and Pākēha worlds.

Mr (Kingi) Tahiwi was the club's leader and a real disciplinarian. She says he taught them to respect themselves and represent the Māori people.

She lived in Wellington for 54 years but returned to Rotorua after her husband died. She says Sir Apirana's influence has remained with her all her life and she is good friends with his daughter.