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Famed Māori Battalion lives on in Whangārei boys academy
29 Jan, 2021 04:00 PM
7 minutes to read
Members of the academy s new intake (with Danish-born Tama Hodgson on the left) perform a haka. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Peter de Graaf is a reporter for the Northern Advocatepeter.degraaf@northernadvocate.co.nznorthernadvocat
A Whangārei boys academy based on the values of the 28th Māori Battalion has celebrated its 10th intake in front of more than 800 people at Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
The crowd which included whānau, government ministers and battalion descendants turned out last Saturday to watch a badging ceremony for boys who had passed a tough two-week selection course for the Leadership Academy of A Company.
Taporapora kuia finally recognised for farming feats
Wikitoria Wright, age 90, has finally been recognised for her work breaking in a farm on the Okahukura Peninsula.
Taporapora’s Wikitoria Wright has been awarded the Awhuwhenua Trophy for farming excellence – 56 years after she deserved to win it.
In 1964, the trophy was presented to her husband Rawson ‘Ross’ Wright, but Wikitoria was overlooked.
“That was their policy. It was a man’s world back then,” Wikitoria says. “But Ross and I were a team, and we worked tirelessly together.”
Wikitoria recently attended a ceremony by Awhuwhenua where her farming accomplishments were recognised.
Sometime after the cup was originally presented to Ross, the couple formalised their partnership by putting Wikitoria’s name on the deed of the farm.