The solemnity of Anzac Day in Muruika, Rotorua, was underscored by a powerful message from local whānau, calling for a focused remembrance of the community’s own heroes and a rejection of distant conflicts.
At the dawn service, which included the raising of the flag for the last surviving member of the Māori Battalion, Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies, the focus was firmly on local legacy and collective gratitude.
Donna Mariana, niece of another celebrated Ngāti Whakaue soldier, Haane Manahi, articulated this sentiment during the service. Emphasising the importance of recognising the sacrifices of their own people.
“We have to be thankful. We have to recognise that you know, we’re not going to Iran. You know we are remembering our own here who fought for great causes,” Donna says.
“Whether you have whakapapa here or not, it is a great opportunity to remember not only those who have passed, but also to remember those who are still serving our country,” she says.
She also highlighted the Māori proverb, “Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi engari he toa takitini” (My strength is not the strength of one, but the strength of many), emphasizing a spirit of collective remembrance and responsibility, urging the community to discover their own history through whakapapa.
The day also paid tribute to Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies, with his mokopuna, Te Whanoa Gillies, sharing a personal reflection. He described his grandfather as a “humble man” who “never really big-noted himself” but was immensely proud of the Māori Battalion’s achievements.
The ceremony became a living invitation for families to keep their ancestral stories alive.
“Ask your own whānau, ‘How do you remember them?’ Let’s start having stories about our own with our own rather than, ‘Oh, look, I knew he was this, but I don’t really know too much about him,’” says Donna Mariana.