Interview with Sonny Te Ahuru and Kepa Patena

Sonny Te Ahuru was born in 1918 and has lived in Te Rena most of his life. Describes Te Rena during his childhood. Talks about the Te Rena School and punishment for speaking Maori. Notes his grandfather started their farm and his father worked at the mill, Weir and Kenny, measuring logs. Explains how to catch wild cattle, hunting meat for food or sale and hunting birds, including kereru, tui, kaka and kiwi, when they were plentiful. Mentions changes when loggers arrived and the shooting of cattle for sport. Describes going to work with his uncle Barney Pakau as a forest labourer. Describes returning to Te Rena, working at the mill at Putateraru and clearing land near Owhango for the Department of Maori Affairs.

Kepa Patena was born at Pukati in 1938. Recalls Tokaanu Primary School, punishment for speaking Maori and his father's emphasis on tikanga Maori. Describes working in the butcher shop. Explains the formation of land trusts with Maori Affairs and the difficulty of a number of land owners and unwillingness to work on the land. Describes possum control in the area and difficulties with 1080 poison. Describes working on the Taurewa Block converting the southern parts of the Tongariro Forest to farmland. Explains techniques used to break the land in. Describes planned `burnoffs' and how one burnoff went wrong.

Interviewer(s) - Jonathan Kennett

Quantity: 2 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s).

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-2963.

Colour photos of Sonny Te Ahuru and Kepa Patena

Original recordings not available for playback. Surrogate copies will be provided.

Alternative form available: A digital copy of the recording is available

Listening copy available at OHLCD-0994 and 0995