The tangihanga to honour the life of the last surviving member of the 28th Māori Battalion Sir Robert ‘Bom’ Gillies will be mourned by Te Arawa and Tainui waka on Saturday, as his body will lie in state at Paratehoata-Te Kōhea Marae within Ōhinemutu for the morning and then moved to Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua).
Gillies died at the age of 99 on Thursday surrounded by whānau at his home, with his tangihanga on Friday reserved only to his immediate whānau.
One of Gillies’ mokopuna, Dr Jeremy Tātere Macleod, told Te Ao Māori News’ Te Rina Kowhai that on Saturday, Te Arawa waka will pay their respects first, followed by Tainui waka who will be led by Te Arikinui Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te Po onto Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua).
Macleod says, “Ko tōna Pāpā nō Ngāti Kurukuru, nō te marae o Waimārama. Ko tōna Whaea nō konoki nei nō Te Arawa. Ko tōna hoa rangatira nō Ngāti Maniapoto.”
His father is from Ngāti Kurukuru, from Waimārama marae. His mother is from here in Te Arawa. His wife is from Ngāti Maniapoto.
“Nō reira ko ērā waka e toru koira te whakapapa a tana tamariki, me āna mokopuna a Takitimu, Te Arawa me Tainui.”
So these three waka, these are the lineage of his children, his grandchildren, that’s Takitimu, Te Arawa, and Tainui.
Enlisting in the army at just the age of 17 but pretending he was 21, Gillies served with the B Company until the end of World War II in 1945. Since then he has been an advocate for the 28th Māori Battalion.
Macleod says that he took his role as an advocate for the 28th Māori Battalion seriously.
“Koia tonu te kaipīkau a te rua tekau mā waru i runga i ana pakihiwi, ngā mate o ōna hoa katoa. Nō reira kua mate nei ia, ko te pātai hei whakaaro mā te motu, kua aha te mauri a te rua tekau mā waru ināianei?”
He was the advocate for the 28th Māori Battalion that rested on his shoulders, the death of all his friends. So now that he has passed on, a question for the country to think about, what happens now to the mauri of the 28th Māori Battalion?
“Mā tēnei, tēnei kaumātua me te mauri o te rua tekau mā waru, ka ora tonu rānei i roto i a tātou i ngā whakareanga iho? Aua! Mā te motu e wānanga.”
What happens now with this, the old man and the mauri of the 28th Māori Battalion? Will it live on within us, the next generation? I don’t know, that’s for the country to discuss.
Later in life, Gillies advocated for peace.
“Ko te kōrero a te kaumātua nei i te wā e ora ana nei ia, i moumou tā rātou haere ki te pakanga, ka hoki mai nei, kāore e manaaki tikahia e te kāwana. Ināianei kei te takahia anō tātou. Ko tāna, mēnā ia ka mōhio ka pēnei tonu te āhua o Aotearoa kua kore noa atu e haere ki te pakanga.”
When the old man was alive, he said going to war was a waste of their time, and upon their return, they weren’t cared for by the Crown, And today, there is the same disregard. If he had known that New Zealand was going to be like this, he would not have gone to war.
He’s being remembered by his mokopuna as a trooper to the end.
“Tekau mā rua wiki ki muri nei ka haua, ka aituāhia tōna motokā, koirā te takenga mai o tana mate. Ki te kore tērā, e tino whakapono ana au ka eke te kaumātua nei ki ana tau kotahi rau nei.”
Twelve weeks ago he had a car accident. That’s when his health began to deteriorate. If not for that, I truly believe the old man would have reached his 100 years.
“Engari tōna tikanga a te Pēpuere e tū nei ka eke ki te kotahi rau tau. Engari nā taua aituā rā, ka heke haere tana ora, koirā te aroha nō te mea he koroua tino ora rawa atu nei.”
And it would seem he would’ve reached that one-hundredth year this coming February. But it was from that accident, is where his health declined, and that was the concern because the old man was a real trooper.
“I konei ia i tōna kāinga tonu nei, e takoto ana, e karapotia ana e tana whānau, e āna mokopuna tonu. Nō reira, e ai ki te kōrero, mārire tana mate, tino rangimārie nei tana mate.”
He is here at his home lying in state, surrounded by his family and his grandchildren. Consequently, he died peacefully, his passing was very peaceful.
The last man standing no more but will never be forgotten.
Tangihanga and Koha details:
PÃNUI NÃ TE WHÃNAU TONU A TÃ RÃPATA BOM GILLIES (KUA WHAKAHOUTIA)
(OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM THE WHANAU OF THE LATE SIR RAPATA BOM GILLIES - UPDATED 12NOON 8 NOVEMBER 2024) NGÃ WHAKAHAERE O TE TANGIHANGA O TO TATAU KAUMATUA:
• Paraire 8 o Noema - waiho tenei rã ki te whanau anake.
• Friday 8 November - The immediate whänau asks that this day is reserved solely for them.
• Hatarei 9 o Noema - 1pm ka eke a Koro ki Paratehoata-Te Köhea Marae, ki Tunohopo, ka takoto mo te kotahi hãora. • Saturday 9 November - 1pm; Koro will be taken to lie at Paratehoata-Te Köhea Marae, Tunohopo for one hour.
• Hatarei 9 o Noema - 2pm ka eke a Koro ki Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua). Ko te tono kia hui katoa a Te Arawa waka ki reira ka noho hai tangata whenua, hai whakatau i to tätau pakeke ki runga i te marae.
• Saturday 9 November - 2pm; Koro will be taken to Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua). Te Arawa waka is asked to arrive earlier and muster with the hau kainga and welcome Koro on to Te Papaiouru.
• Hatarei 9 o Noema - 4pm ka eke a Te Arikinui Kuini Ngã Wai Hono i te Põ me te waka o Tainui ki Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua). Mã Te Arawa waka whanui e pohiri.
• Saturday 9 November - 4pm; Te Arikinui Kuini Ngã Wai Hono i te Põ & Tainui waka will arrive at Te Papaiouru Marae (Tamatekapua).
• Ratapu 10 o Noema - ka tuwhera te marae ki te motu.
• Sunday 10 November - the marae will be open to the motu.
• Mane 11 o Noema - ka tuwhera tonu te marae ki te motu. Poroporoaki ā taua po.
• Monday 11 November - the marae will be open to the motu. Poroporoaki that evening.
• Túrei 12 o Noema - rã nehu, ka t te karakia whakamutunga te 11am. Ka kawea a Koro ki Kauae urupa nehua ai.
• Tuesday 12 November - funeral service at 11am. Burial service to follow at Kauae.
For ope travelling to the tangihanga on bus, please contact Piki Thomas, 027 244 8784 for parking instructions.
For whanau wishing to give koha:
38-9014-0471103-00 Robyn Henderson