Tēnā koutou katoa, On behalf of the Ongare Board of Trustees, we wish to acknowledge recent Anzac Day services that were observed around the country this past week in commemoration of those servicemen who died during war, conflict and peacekeeping missions as well as those who are returned servicemen.
This year’s annual Dawn Service for those Māori Servicemen, whānau and supporters was held at Te Whetu-o-te Rangi Marae in Tauranga in tandem with another dawn service held for the 5th time at Tuapiro Marae north of Ongare Point in Tahawai.
We wanted to tautoko both kaupapa, one of which we have been an active sponsor of including again this year and one because of it’s proximity to Ongare and the relationship we are looking to build and strengthen with the whānau at Tuapiro,
So we decided to ensure that Ongare Trust was represented at both Dawn Services with returned serviceman and Trustee Joel Ngatūere participating in the march on for the servicemen and laying the wreath on behalf of Ongare Trust at Whetu Marae.
Our Kuia and Ongare Trustees Pua Taikato and Kura Benton also laid a wreath together for Kumikumi Trust at Whetu. Kumikumi is a key relationship for us as whanaunga and joint venture partners in the Matakana Berry LP development on Matakana Island.
At the invitation of the Tuapiro Marae service organising committee, Ongare Trust was represented by Parewhati and Enoka, our Chair and Orchard Assets Manager. This was the first time that we had heard of the service at Tuapiro so it was a welcome opportunity to connect with whānau there.
Tuapiro Marae itself had 7 servicemen from one whānau - the Ngarae whānau who had been lost to more than one war and initiated the dawn service 5 years ago in recognition of their sacrifice from the home people.
Enoka joined the march on by returned servicemen whilst Parewhati delivered a kōrero during the service about tupuna and returned serviceman Rongoihaere Rikihana, who is one of many stories that whānau hold about their loved ones and the hardships they endured.
Enoka and Parewhati also laid a wreath together on behalf of Ongare Trust at Tuapiro and were encouraged to tautoko Tuapiro with future dawn services.
