Interview with William Tangaroa

William Tangaroa was born in 1922 in Wellington. Gives the origins of Ngati Whatua. Talks about his grandmother Mere Huia Shaw and her marriage for the purpose of holding land. Describes how her grandparents settled at Dairy Flat then Reweti (Rewiti). Describes their original home of nikau and raupo and the home that was built in 1928. Describes the site of the original Reweti marae in the hills. Discusses missionaries Reverend Marsden and Reverend Selwyn and Ngati Whatua. Discusses his father, John Tangaroa, who attended Three Kings Secondary School and Wesley College with Jack Nathan. Gives details of the background of his mother, Emma Smith. Talks about the Depression, the children carting water for the gardens and his grandfather being blinded digging rushes. Describes the selling of produce from the Reweti gardens at the market. Discusses the sacred Reweti mountain, Puketapu, where burials were made. Explains the way people were buried according to their place in society. Notes that Tauwhare Hill was a recovery place for warriors.

Mentions the quarry in the area which was closed as a result of lots of accidents. Discusses fishing methods and the catching of eel, koura, toheroa, paua, mussels and other species. Describes drawing the oil from mutton birds. Describes how work was done with horses and mentions the breaking in of brumbies. Mentions how the moving sand buried native bush and the role of marram grass in stabilising sand. Mentions his schooling at Helensville and leaving school and working in a bush camp. Describes the work. Describes planting marram during the Depression and the finding of midden. Describes being manpowered to do farm work in World War II. Mentions marriage. Mentions the South Head forestry settlement. Comments on the continuation of early customs at Reweti including herbal knowledge, forecasting weather and food preparation. Discusses tapu and the identification of tapu places. Mentions the Brynderwyn bus accident and identifying victims. Describes how the sacred mountain, Puketapu, is now planted in pine.

Interviewer(s) - Gabrielle Hildreth

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

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete OHA-3321.

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-004971 - OHLC-004972