Interview with Kuini Te Tau

Kuini Te Tau describes her family background, her parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters; her tribe - Ngati Kahungunu and Ngai Tahu. She recalls her childhood at Waikouaiti in the South Island:- the story of Parihaka as told to her by her grandfather; her father as a farmer; Sir James Owen; the family house; cooking; music; meals; butter making; swaggers (tramps); the Te Whao Family; the thrashing mills; her father and the Maori Land Courts; whakapapa; speaking Maori; dances; punishment; pocket money; doctors; alcohol; the Otago Hussars; home medicines; birthdays; lollies; influenza epidemic; visiting the mental hospital; school - Waikouaiti Native School; religion; Sundays; the era that Grandfather Parata was in politics; the effect of World War I on her family; horses; attitudes to sex; 'Maori matches' - marriage between two families for land.

Discusses meeting her future husband; his family background; leaving the South to live at Masterton; polo ponies; the 'old Maori' on the Pa; the homeguard; joining the Red Cross; Kitty Cameron and John Bunny; World War II; American soldiers; the Featherston Prisoner of War Camp; Maori Affairs Housing; sport; the meeting house, Nga Tau E Waru and her role; her job in the war for Manpower and becoming the first Welfare Officer for Maori Affairs based in Wellington; the elderly Maoris; meals on wheels; Maori budgeting; respect for elders; Mrs Paku who lived at Whakataki; Mrs Rimene; Rose Brian; Maori attitude towards Pakeha; the Historic Trust; school visiting; Joe Paku and his story of how Wairarapa and its rivers got their names; the Maori Anglican Church; the Depression; the Costello Family.

Venue - Masterton

Interviewer(s) - Judith Fyfe

Venue - Gordon Street, Masterton

Arrangement: Tape numbers - OHC-004417 - OHC-004419

Quantity: 3 C60 cassette(s). 1 printed abstract(s). 1 interview(s). 3 Hours Duration.

Finding Aids: Abstract Available - abstracting complete AB 886.

Copies of black and white photographs:-. Kuini Te Tau, undated. Rewi Tamahau Tamihana, Kuini Te Tau; Richard Tahuora Himona, from the Wairarapa Times Age, 30/10/1976. Kuini Te Tau, from the Wairarapa Times Age, 1983

Search dates: 1899 - 1983

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

Alternative form available: Listening copies OHLC-001075 - OHLC-001077; OHLC-002988 - OHLC-002990; OHLC-005259 - OHLC-005261

An online copy of the abstract is available to read in the Library's Reading Room