Relief at recognition of Pacific contribution to NZ war effort

A Cook Islands community leader in Aotearoa has paid tribute to those involved in ensuring the Pacific contribution to New Zealand's wartime efforts was recognised.

Very little had been known about Pacific participation according to Caren Rangi and the significant efforts of veterans from the region had not been officially acknowledged.

The New Zealand Arts Council chairperson said efforts towards the dedication of a memorial in their honour began six years ago.

Rangi cited the work of Alfred Ngaro and the '500 Cook Islands Soldiers Committee' who began in 2015 "to start to shine a light, not just on the Cook Islands contribution but the contribution of Niue and all the other Pacific countries."

"I think about the fact that as a country we (the Cook Islands) sent 25 percent of our eligible male population to fight alongside New Zealand soldiers and many of them didn't return," added Rangi.

"So I hope that New Zealanders are listening and hearing, and appreciating the contribution that was made."

The Minister for Pacific Peoples at the time, the former National Party MP Alfred Ngaro, said he was incredibly proud to see the memorial finally unveiled in the veterans' honour.

"The memories of our soldiers, who were hidden under the banner of the Maori Pioneer Battalion for sometime," said Ngaro.

"We have that statement that we all say for all our ANZACs and all our soldiers 'Lest we Forget' and so today, no longer will they be forgotten. They'll be remembered and memorialised."

On Saturday, a new Pacific Islands Memorial, housed in the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington, was unveiled.

It came as a sigh of relief to Pacific veterans, the families of those who served and to community members, many of whom attended the dedication. Also at the ceremony were the prime ministers of New Zealand and the Cook Islands.

The Pacific Islands Memorial has pride of place over Pukeahu's Arras Tunnel.

Its designer, artist Michel Tuffery, said he modelled the memorial - a bronze upscaled conch shell embellished with poppies - on a shell left behind by World War I Pacific soldiers in tunnels below the French town of Arras where they were stationed from 1916 to 1918.

Tuffery said the memorial's name came as a gift from the people of the land to the people of the sea.

"The name was Te Reo Hotunui o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, which is the big sigh, hotunui," said Tuffery.

He explained that it referred to the sigh of relief at something finally being addressed.

"Finally! Finally it's happened, finally we've been acknowledged - is the big sigh. And that for me was actually really important to actually have the Tangata Whenua be part of that process."

Another former Minister for Pacific Peoples and Samoan community leader, Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, said it stood as a reminder to the world of the Pacific contribution during the world wars.

"It's so often been hidden or under the label of Maori"

Despite Samoa having had colonial links with Germany and the complexities it presented, continued Luamanuvao, many fought under New Zealand's banner.

"There is a cultural connection of family. So our people also participated alongside Cook Islanders, Tokelau, Niue and even Fiji in the war.

"So it's about time that visibility was brought out and celebrated by people like Michel Tuffery with the symbolism of the conch which will unite the whole region and continue to do so."

For Pacific people, it was an historic and emotional moment that had been a long time coming. Te Reo Hotunui o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa was originally to be unveiled last April before the pandemic added another obstacle and another year. It's now 103 years since World War I ended.

For Pacific families with members who served for New Zealand, it was a mix of emotions.

Sandy Harrop's Samoan father Andrew Samuel Kronfeld flew a Spitfire in World War II. The fighter aircraft was donated to New Zealand's war effort by then Western Samoa.

"This particular memorial I think it's brought back a lot of, sort of, thoughts about him," mused Mrs Harrop.

"And also the acknowledgement I think that the Pacific community now have a place, a better place in history."

Sandy's daughter Colonel Esther Harrop commented on a photograph of her grandfather in his Spitfire on which the Flight Lieutenant inscribed 'My first love, Spitfire version 5B'

"The thing that I love about it is that the plane is called Western Samoa and he got to fly it. I think that's just phenomenal."

Samoan New Zealander John Solia was a member of the international 28th Commonwealth Brigade's 2nd Battalion which participated in the Malayan Emergency, Indonesia Confrontation and the Vietnam War.

His older brother followed him into the army but was killed two months later.

"He follows me everywhere and I miss him," said Solia wistfully.

"So this kind of thing to me, it's really very lovely to have it. They've done their job for us, that's why we're still here as free people."

Free to travel to Aotearoa for the ceremony was the prime minister of the Cook Islands. Mark Brown was the first foreign leader to visit since the pandemic closed New Zealand borders.

Standing alongside Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, Mark Brown told those assembled "In this place, Pukeahu, I stand proud".

"These monuments have taken years in the planning and the preparation and the making of them, and really to be here for the launch of this particular monument, this conch shell, it really signifies the really close relationship between Aotearoa and the Cook Islands and the people."

Te Reo Hotunui o Te Moana Nui a Kiwa sighs deeply at the eastern side of Pukeahu, proudly over Wellington's Arras Tunnel.