Whanau History
TAUMATA MYRA RENATA nee KEREAMA
(Te Timatanga: Tatau Tatau - Early stories from founding members of the maori women's welfare league)
Taumata was a descendant of Kereama Te Ngako from Ngati Tuwharetoa and Ngati Raukawa and of Waitauhi Emery from Ngati Pikiao and Ngati Maniapoto. But she was adopted by her fathers cousin Taumata Te Ono and her second husband Teia Te Tuahu Reweti. They were from Ngati Maniapoto, Ngati Whakatere and Ngati Porou.
Born in Shannon in February 1914, she was baptised as Taumata Maria Kereama in Otaki and raised near Poutu marae in Shannon before moving to Te Horo and eventually to Kakariki near the Rangitikei river.
Shortly afterwards her adopted mother fled to Waikato and she was left with her adopted father and an older step-sister Parekoiti Down who was from Taumata's first marriage to George Down. When her adopted father decided to move on, Kereama disagreed for her to also go, so Parekoiti and her husband Te Tahuna Herangi chose to look after her.
"When I was 9 years old we received news that my adopted mother had remarried to one Karena Tamaki of Pirongia and would my sister and her husband take me to see and meet him, which was duly done. I then lived with my mother and her husband. In fact, I spent equal time between mother and daughter and enjoyed life with either one, although life was different as far as daily activity was concerned. In the mid 1920's my mother decided to bring me back to Rangitikei to meet my brothers and sisters. I was so excited at the very thought as I had spent my earlier years among elderly people - no young children of my age to play with after school.
When I did meet them I didn't want to go back to Pirongia. We did go home and while I lived with my mother I attended Te Kopua Missionary School, consisting of only 12 pupils - two Rakena, two Emerys, one Kereama and seven Searanckes. My mother could hardly speak english so I ws brought up in the reo. However when I attended school I had to quickly learn to speak the english language as at that time Maori was banned from the school playgrounds. One word I learnt was shut up, I didn't know what it meant at that time so it didn't seem so bad until I was slapped when using it in front of my mother, although her vocabulary was little she knew that those words weren't suitable for a girl of my age. Attending that school didn't last long. Once again, my mother became concerned at my having to cross two rivers when in flood, over willow trunks that had been cut so that I would reach the felled side, so I was then sent to Pirongia Primary School.
Across the river lived Te Puea Herangi's father, Tahuna Herangi with his wife (not Te Puea's mother) and their mokopuna Te Ngaehe, who was about my age. To begin the four mile walk to school if the river was in flood and covered the lower lands, a canoe had to be rowed over to pick him up or stay home if that wasnt possible.
We lived and farmed on the roadside going from Pirongia to Kawhia and it was there my mother built a nice house on land provided by the government of the time for returned soldiers of the First World War, of which her husband was one. This was where I learnt about the farm life and responsibilities that came with it, to milk cows and raise poaka kunekune and generally to follow my mother around, giving a hand where ever I could. I also learnt to mahi i nga kai Maori. Cooking was not allowed to be done by me as her husband inclined to be very particular. So I learnt to watch and do the fetch and carry parts when she would be tahutahu poaka, ka waiho i roto i te hinu, pera ano mo nga kereru, ana hoki mai a Karena i te maunga, ki te mahi Kaeo hei toroi ki te hauhake i nga riwai huakaroro. Ka tiakina nga riwai rarahi ma te manuhiri haere mai, ka kainga e matou ko nga kitakita.
By then my mother had become a member of the Tahupotiki Ratana movement. Moerua Eketone was carrying the word around the district. We finally moved first back to Kakariki then to Ratana Pa. Up to this time I didn't know what became of the farm and I still don't know know. I stayed with them for a while but couldn't fit in with an idsle life so joined my natural family, who were then settled in Tokorangi at Harurunui.
From here we were then becoming wise to the non-existence of paid work. So we found work picking potatoes. When I first saw the large paddocks of taewa dug up by this thing dragged by a couple of horses I was filled with mixed feeling about how on earth I was ever going to pick all those spuds (as they were called, not riwai) exposed on those mile long rows (which were not so when one became used to seeing them). That was my first paid job. Later, as the shearing time became nearer, I would hear the big money earned during the depression. So I asked my mother if I could go but I got a prompt no, so I ran away with other local girls and wrote to her when I began work four days later.
In February 1933 I married Patu Renata Waihape who was a local man. We lived in a small settlement at Rata, where we used to pick potatoes. It was the same place where my natural sister Nancy and I played hockey for the Rata team for three years, travelling from Tokorangi over the Rangitikei river on our horse. My late husband was of Ngati Hinemau and Ngati Te Huki ki Mohaka descent but was brought up by his aunt locally. We continued living in Rata for 14 years where we were then asked by his foster parents to move back to Tokorangi to farm on their land interests and to take care of them. We had two children, Raiha Riingi and Manuera.
We moved over with sheep, cows and pigs. We were there actually three months and moved to where I am now, a bigger piece of leased land next to by natural parents settlement. We could farm what we wanted to, following the more modern trends - milking 75 cows on average, breeding ewe, cattle and a piggery."
From here she became active in many activities which were recognised when 1997 when she received the Community Services Award. Special milestones included the establishment of the Young People's Club in the 50's, Tokorangi and Halcombe School Committee representation, Maori Studies, Arts & Crafts, Music Tutoring and many years involvement with the Maori Womens Welfare League. Also Te Runanga o Raukawa whaiti, the many marae committees, the Maori Battalion Hall Committee, Te Moana nui a Kiwa Weavers, the Womens Dividions of Federated Farmers, the Country Womens Institute, Red Cross, the Potato Growers union and much more.
Page last updated 14 Jan 2010
