Te Oreore Kohanga Reo

Waiata: Te matua, te tamaiti, wairua tapu aue....sung by children from the Te Oreore
Kohanga Reo from the Wairarapa.

- kaikōrero Pani Morris /Ngāti Hamua, Kahungunu ki Wairarapa. She grew up
at Te Oreore, and Whakataki on the shores of Wairarapa. She is also the
supervisor of the Kohanga Reo. Pani was born in 1918 and was brought up by
her Aunty.

Pani talks of her childhood, their means of transport was by gig and buggy. Her
kaumatua were quite elderly. They had plantations of also sorts, learnt taniko and kete
making. Later they moved to live at Nga Tai e Waru to her mother's land close to
Masterton.
She was of the Anglican faith then changed to Ratana. Attended a lot of hui at
Ratana. From the forest they collected karaka berries, from the sea, pipi, kuku
kina, and parengo......spoke about the importance of the taniwha.

She later married and had ten children, she worked at the local hospital for many
years and was the nurses delegate for eight years, they were a close nit unit.

Another interest of hers was being a Māori Warden a position she held for
eleven years that she thoroughly enjoyed.

- haka whakamutunga........