Padre Wī Huata (Canon Wī Te Tau Huata) is interviewed by Pou Temara regarding the following subjects:
Wī Huata explains how he was chosen as one of the three padres who formed part of the 28 Māori Battalion contingency to travel overseas with the soldiers to administer to their spiritual needs. Padre Wī Huata speaks of Kāhi Harawira, Wharetini Rangi and briefly mentions Ngatai Tunoa (Tunoa) Wanoa. He speaks about the ship Nieuw Amsterdam that transported the 300 Māori soldiers who had been stationed at Ohaeawai at the time. Padre Wī Huata was a Māori Chaplain of the Church of England. Two of his younger siblings also formed part of the 28 Māori Battalion.
He speaks of the thoughts of the families left behind when the soldiers left, the sort of karakia that were used, the poroporoaki (farewell) of soldiers, and advice given to him by his family whilst overseas.
He speaks of his own personal thoughts of setting sail on the Nieuw Amsterdam and leaving his homeland and his memories of the hymns that were sung at the poroporoaki “Auē Tirohia” and “Arohaina Mai”.
Padre Wi Huata explains how long he spent with the 28 Māori Battalion before he returned home. He speaks of the prime objective of the battalion was to murder and kill despite the scriptures saying otherwise, how the younger members (19 yrs) were frightened by the sheer brutality of death. Most soldiers had prioritised their relationships with their mothers as primary, fathers were secondary and their wives and girlfriends third.
Padre Wi Huata speaks of the time spent prior to advancing into battle. How the officers would give the instructions, how karakia were used to inspire the men and entertainment to relax the men before they went into battle. Each company was given the opportunity to entertain and inspire the men either through karakia or in waiata (song). A Company (Gum Diggers) would utilise the singing voices of Sonny Waru and Lou Paul would perform a karakia. B Company (Ruku Kapa) would sing “Te Atawhai”, C Company (Ngā Cowboys) would haka “Ko Ruaumoko tēnei e ngunguru nei”, D Company (Ngāti Walkabout) didn’t really know how to speak Māori that well. The choir would perform for the radio broadcasters lead by Awatere.
Padre Huata considers Māori to be supreme soldiers above all other soldiers that he met. The only other soldiers that came even close to the warrior spirit of the Māori Battalion were the Pākehā soldiers of New Zealand. Māori are very good in battle, they are champion soldiers. The use of the “wero” or “spearhead” formations that the Māori used made them unbeatable. They used many inspirational sayings to spur on the soldiers when their energy was flagging, “Kawea tō mana!” Rommel (Germany’s finest General) wrote in his diary, “Give me the Māori Battalion, I’ll conquer the world” we celebrated this saying at the reunion held in 1972. Māori were known as either ‘he tangata whakapono’ (strong of faith) and ‘he tangata porangi’ (crazy) which helped them survive. He speaks of the Spandau, the fastest gun in the world that the German used – firing 60 rounds per second. Māori had no problem running - they were fierce and fearless. Some considered them crazy; Reverend Māngi (Te Kaha) received a VC for his efforts. It didn’t matter which company advanced, the enemy would fall before them. They were all scared but what mattered, was if you could lead the frightened into victory. We went to Germany in 1972; the soldiers there showered us with accolades for our prowess. Physically, the Germans were strapping and tall, whereas the Māori – some were short, some tall. Māori weren’t frightened by their size.
He mentions the following people: Andrew (Gordon) Ormand of Te Māhia, Te Okanga (Aussie) Huata, Charles (Charlie) Shelford, Te Ranapia (Dick) Huata, Wirepa of Ngāti Porou, Christopher Sorenson of Te Arawa, Matarēhua (Monty) Wikiriwhi, George Tuoro Marsden, John College (Jackie) Reedy, Colonel Kingi Areta Keiha, Colonel Monty Claude Fairbrother, Arapeta Marukitepua Pitapitanuiarangi (Peta) Awatere, Monita Eru Delamere, Joe Poata of Te Tai Tokerau, William (Bill) Poata of Te Tai Tokerau, George Kātene, Wiki Kātene, Johnny Pā [Parr], Apirana Ngata, Albert Te Auheke (Alby) Bennett, Lu Paul, Taniwha (Sonny) Waru, Irwin Rommel, Reverend Māngi of Te Kaha, General Freyberg, Field Marshall Alexander, Cleary
He mentions the following places: Crete, the port of Tufik (Egypt), Maadi (Egypt), Perth (Australia), Ohaeawai, Mohaka, Tolaga Bay, Bluff, Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Te Tai Tokerau, Te Arawa, Ngāti Kahungunu, Waikato, Taranaki, Te Whānau a Apanui, Te Waipounamu, Alexandria (Egypt),
Other subject matter includes: Nieuw Amsterdam (ship), Padre, te mura o te ahi (the heat of the battle), A Company, B Company, C Company, D Company, wartime radio broadcasters, prayer (inoi) , bible (paipera), wounded (taotū), January (Hanuere), February (Pēpuere), December (Tīhema), battle (pakanga), soldier (hōia), the strength of the Māori Battalion is evident in the saying “Ko te Amorangi ki mua ko te hāpai o ki muri” (“In all matters the emblem of things spiritual must be in the vanguard – those things of a temporal kind will follow as a consequence” or “Spiritual things first, secular things second”, VC, poroporoaki (farewell), parekura (massacre), Tiger tank,
Religious subject matter included: Church of England (Mihingare), karakia, hīmene (hymn) “[Ka] Auē Tirohia”, “Arohaina Mai”, “Piko nei te Matenga”, “Tama Ngākau”, “Our Father which art in heaven”, “Te Atawhai”, Kariki, Wīwī, Indian, Moroccan.