Loss Legacy

Ra Awatea, my tipuna, was born shortly after the First World War. Named by her brother upon arrival from the frontline, he inadvertently named me nearly a century later. She was beaten at school for speaking Te Reo and beaten at home for speaking English. She grew up knowing that she was destined for a tono marriage in order to bring peace between Te Ati Awa and Ngāti Raukawa. 

When she married into the Rikihana family, she moved to Ōtaki to start her new life, and although the marriage was between two esteemed whanau, Ra Awatea lived in poverty. Separated from family, she made her own, giving birth to seven children. It was around this time that Ngāti Raukawa land became highly taxed by the government, and any wealth that was leftover from the aftereffects of the Land Wars was taken by the council. Ra Awatea's new family was taxed twice every year, the rates would equality to $1200NZD by today's standards. The purpose of taxing people for the land they had always owned was to strip them of their wealth and eventually claim the land once no one could afford the tax anymore.

Without land or money, 'Rikiville' became a ghetto. Poverty stricken, Ra Awatea's children would live in an unfinished house and fish with kerosene cans. Ra Awatea would work as a maid for many years to come. Ra Awatea had a loving marriage. She served her community at the marae and would make the best sweets for manuhiri. She would grow every rose in her garden and shape the bushes into playing card symbols. Her children went on to university and then endeavoured to reclaim their ancestral land. In the 2010's Ra Awatea's children, grandchildren and great grandchildren came together to buy back a small portion of iwi land and succeeded.

I never met my great Grandmother, but I know her now.